In Pictures: INS Mormugao, Indian Navy's Newest Destroyer, Scores Bull's Eye With Maiden BrahMos Missile Launch

In a major achievement for the Indian Navy, INS Mormugao, the latest addition to its fleet of destroyers, successfully test-fired the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile for the first time on Sunday (14 May).

The test, which took place in the Arabian Sea, was carried out to check the ship's combat readiness and its ability to engage targets at long ranges.

INS Mormugao, a stealth guided-missile destroyer, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in December 2022. It is the second ship of the Visakhapatnam-class and was built at Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai.

The BrahMos missile, developed jointly by India and Russia, has a range of 450 km and can be launched from land, sea, and air. The range of the missile, which was limited to 290 km before India's joining of the Missile Technology Control Regime, is now being increased to 800 km.

Recently, the Indian Ministry of Defence approved two major orders aimed at bolstering the country's naval capabilities. The first order worth Rs 20,000 crore is for the acquisition of 225 extended-range BrahMos missiles by the Indian Navy. In addition to the missile order, the Ministry has also given the green light for the procurement of BrahMos-equipped coastal missile batteries for the Indian Navy.