Port Blair, Aug 22: “Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kulish, the thunderbolt” a Kora class, Missile Corvette under the operational control of the Andaman and Nicobar Command completed 20 years of glorious service to the nation on 20 Aug 21. Bulit by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, Kolkata, the Ship was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 20 Aug 2001. Displacing 1,400 tonnes, the ship is 91 meters long and is capable doing speeds upto 24 knots.
The Ship is fitted with state of the art weapon and sensors suite which enable her to operate in a multi threat environment in addition, INS Kulish is capable of operating multiple helicopters. The primary roles of the Ship include anti-Ship attack as Surface Action Group or indipendently, picket for Over the Horizon Targeting, providing Air Defence cover to High Value Unit, Intelligence gathering and Search and Rescue operation. Being a highly versatile platform, the Ship has participated in multiple Coordinated Patrol with Navies of Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar.
The Ship has also participated in various multinational exercises like with Navies of US, Japan and the recently concluded exercise KONKAN with UK Carrier Strike Group, thus enhance regional security in the IOR. Further, to ensure good order in the maritime domain and strengthen existing bonds, the Ship has paid friendly visits to many foreign ports like Langkawi, Belawan, Singapore and Phuket.
The Ship was the first Indian Navy Ship to visit port Mongla, Bangladesh as part ‘Swranim Vijay Varsh’ celebration to commemorate the 50th Independence Day of Bangladesh. The Ship has also played a major role in intercepting and containing foreign ingress into Indian EEZ.
The Ship’s crest depicts ‘Kulish – The Thunderbolt’ which signifies the weapon carved out of the bones of ‘Dadhichi Rishi’, the maker of divine weapon wielded by the king of Gods, Lord Indra.
