Indian Premier Modi commissions 3 navy combat ships

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday commissioned three navy vessels, claiming the South Asian nation is emerging as a "major maritime power in the world."

Indian Navy ships (INS) Surat, INS Nilgiri and INS Vaghsheer were commissioned at the Naval Dockyard in western India, according to officials.

According to the navy, the Nilgiri is the lead ship of the project 17A stealth frigate class and the Surat is the fourth and final ship of the Project 15B stealth destroyer class. The Vaghsheer is the sixth and final submarine of the Scorpene-class project.

Modi, who earlier had said commissioning the three frontline naval vessels will "strengthen the country’s efforts towards being a global leader in defense,” said in his address on Wednesday that India works in the spirit of development, not expansionism.

“India has always supported an open, secure, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” he said, adding that the South Asia nation is emerging as a major global maritime power.

Earlier the Indian Navy had described the day as historic and a proud moment in “India’s journey of maritime excellence and self-reliance.”