INS DHRUV COMMISSIONED

INS DHRUV COMMISSIONED

Context:

On September 10, 2021, India’s 1st nuclear-missile tracking ship, named INS Dhruv, has been commissioned from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. India now joins an elite list of countries consisting of France, Russia, the US, the UK, and China, who possess and operate such ships.

About INS Dhruv

• It is a research vessel and missile range instrumentation ship.
• It is built by the Hindustan Shipyard Limited in collaboration with the DRDO and National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO).
• The keel of the ship was laid on 30 June 2014 at Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
• It is a 10,00 tonnes satellite and ballistic missile tracking ship.
• It is capable of tracking nuclear missiles at a long-range.
• It provides early warning of attacks by ballistic missiles launched from Pakistan and China.
• The ship can gather electronic intelligence and will be used to track missiles and satellites.
• It will be jointly operated by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, National Technical Research Organisation and the Indian Navy.

Purpose of the Ship:

• The aim of the ship is to support the development of India's strategic weapons and the Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme.