Rajkiran, the Indian Coast Guard ship, was commissioned here on Wednesday morning by Vice-Admiral Anil Chopra, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command, in the presence of Inspector-General S.P Sharma of the Coast Guard region (East).
It is the third of the series of eight inshore patrol vessels designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata. The 50-metre vessel displaces 300 tonnes and can achieve a maximum speed of 34 knots, with an endurance of 1,500 nautical miles at the economical speed of 16 knots. The special features of the ship include an integrated bridge management system, integrated machinery control system and an integrated gun mount with indigenous fire control system.
Rajkiran will be based at Haldia under the administrative and operational control of the Commander, Coast Guard region (North-East). The ship is commanded by Lt. Cdr. Sumanta Roy, a specialist in anti-submarine warfare. The vessel has a crew of five officers and 30 enrolled personnel.
During the commissioning ceremony, Vice-Admiral Anil Chopra said the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard would work in tandem to ensure the coastal and maritime security of the country.