Source: PIB
Context
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the historic tri-commissioning of three indigenously designed and built warships — INS Dunagiri (stealth frigate), INS Sanshodhak (Survey Vessel, Large), and INS Agray (Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft) — at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, on 21 June 2026 (Sunday). All three vessels were designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. The ceremony was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan (Chief of the Naval Staff), and other senior officials. PM Modi noted the symbolic coincidence that 21 June is also World Hydrography Day, even as India’s most advanced hydrographic survey vessel INS Sanshodhak was commissioned. The three vessels represent the Indian Navy’s layered capability approach: blue-water combat (Dunagiri), deep-water hydrographic survey (Sanshodhak), and coastal anti-submarine warfare (Agray). With indigenous content exceeding 75% and contributions from over 200 MSMEs, the tri-commissioning marks a major milestone in Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence shipbuilding. This is the second tri-commissioning in 2026, after the January 2025 induction of INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and submarine INS Vagsheer at Mumbai. The Navy aims to commission 19 warships in 2026, the largest annual force accretion in its history — 33 ships in 24 months (Jan 2025 to Dec 2026) combined.
The Ceremony
- Venue: Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (formerly Kolkata Port), Kolkata.
- Host: Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
- Chief Guest: Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Other Attendees: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan (CNS).
1. INS Dunagiri — The Blue-Water Combatant
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Stealth Guided-Missile Frigate |
| Class | Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) |
| Position in Class | 5th of 7 Project 17A frigates to be commissioned |
| Built by | GRSE, Kolkata (2nd Project 17A built by GRSE) |
| Predecessor Class | Shivalik-class (Project 17) |
| Build Time | 80 months (improved from 93 months for lead ship INS Nilgiri) |
| Propulsion | CODOG (Combined Diesel or Gas) |
| Indigenous Content | ~75% |
Key Weapons & Systems of INS Dunagiri
- BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles (supersonic, long-range).
- MRSAM (Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile) defence network.
- MFSTAR Radar: Multi-Function Surveillance, Track And Guidance Radar.
- Anti-submarine warfare rockets.
- Integrated hull sonar.
- Close-in Weapon Systems (CIWS).
- Helicopter operations: Capable of operating HAL Dhruv ALH and Sea King helicopters.
Project 17A Family — All 7 Sister Ships
| # | Ship | Built By | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | INS Nilgiri | MDL | Commissioned (Jan 2025) |
| 2 | INS Himgiri | GRSE | Commissioned |
| 3 | INS Udaygiri | MDL | Commissioned |
| 4 | INS Taragiri | MDL | Commissioned |
| 5 | INS Dunagiri | GRSE | Commissioned 21 June 2026 |
| 6 | INS Vindhyagiri | GRSE | Expected |
| 7 | INS Mahendragiri | MDL | Expected |
2. INS Sanshodhak — The Deep-Water Surveyor (Verified)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Survey Vessel (Large) — SVL |
| Class | Sandhayak-class |
| Position in Class | 4th and FINAL of Sandhayak-class |
| Built by | GRSE, Kolkata |
| Length | ~110 m |
| Displacement | ~3,300–3,400 tonnes |
| Range | 6,500 nautical miles |
| Contract Signed | 2018 |
Key Equipment & Capabilities
- Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs).
- Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs).
- Multi-Beam Echo Sounders.
- Digital Side-Scan Sonar systems.
- 4 Survey Motor Boats.
- Helicopter operations capable.
- Convertible to Hospital Ship for HADR roles.
- Linked to Maritime Vision 2030 and Blue Economy ambitions.
Roles of INS Sanshodhak
- Hydrographic surveys (mapping seabed).
- Oceanographic research (collecting water and biological data).
- Geophysical data collection.
- Nautical chart preparation (for naval and civil shipping).
- Port approach channel mapping.
- Search-and-rescue (SAR) missions.
- Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
3. INS Agray — The Coastal Submarine Hunter (Verified)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) |
| Class | Arnala-class |
| Position in Class | 4th built by GRSE, 5th overall ASW-SWC commissioned |
| Built by | GRSE, Kolkata (in PPP with L&T Kattupalli) |
| Length | ~77.6 m |
| Displacement | 900 tonnes (gross tonnage 1,490 t) |
| Speed | 25 knots |
| Range | 1,800 nautical miles at 14 knots |
| Propulsion | Waterjet (high manoeuvrability, low noise) |
| Indigenous Content | >80% |
| Crest Inspired by | Arjuna’s Gandiva bow (unveiled 10 June 2026) |
Key Weapons & Sensors of INS Agray
- RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launcher (forward-mounted).
- 324 mm Lightweight Torpedo tubes (triple, port & starboard) with Advanced Light-Weight Torpedo (ALWT).
- Abhay Hull-Mounted Sonar (DRDO NPOL + BEL).
- Towed Low-Frequency Variable Depth Sonar (LFVDS) (CFF Fluid Control + Atlas Elektronik).
- 30 mm Naval Surface Gun.
- 12.7 mm OFT M2 SRCG (Stabilized Remote Controlled Gun).
- Anti-submarine mine-laying rails.
- Integrated Anti-Submarine Warfare Defence Suite (IADS).
ASW-SWC Programme
- Approved: 2013 by Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).
- Total Cost: ~₹13,440 crore.
- Total Ships: 16 vessels (8 by GRSE, 8 by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL)).
- Replaces: Abhay-class corvettes (commissioned 1989–1991).
- Two Subclasses:
- Arnala-class: Built by GRSE/L&T, based with Eastern Fleet.
- Mahe-class: Built by CSL, based with Western Fleet.
- First in Class: INS Arnala (lead ship, commissioned 2025).
About the Indian Navy’s Modernisation Programme
- Force Accretion 2026: 19 warships planned for commissioning — largest in Navy’s history.
- Combined 2025–26: 33 ships in 24 months.
- Maritime Vision 2030: Aims for 170+ warship Navy by 2030.
- Project 17A: 7 stealth frigates totalling ~₹45,000 crore.
Practice MCQs
Q1. With reference to the tri-commissioning ceremony in June 2026, consider the following statements:
- The ceremony was held at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata on 21 June 2026.
- All three vessels — INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak, and INS Agray — were built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
- The date coincided with World Hydrography Day.
- This was the first-ever tri-commissioning in the history of the Indian Navy.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None
(Statement 4 is wrong; this was the second tri-commissioning of 2026; the first was the January 2025 commissioning of INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and INS Vagsheer at Mumbai.)
Q2. With reference to INS Dunagiri, consider the following statements:
- It is the fifth Project 17A Nilgiri-class stealth frigate.
- It is the second Project 17A frigate built by GRSE Kolkata.
- Project 17A frigates are the successors to the Shivalik-class (Project 17) frigates.
- INS Dunagiri is powered by nuclear propulsion.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None
(Statement 4 is wrong; INS Dunagiri is powered by CODOG (Combined Diesel or Gas) propulsion, NOT nuclear propulsion.)
Q3. With reference to INS Sanshodhak, consider the following statements:
- It is the fourth and final ship of the Sandhayak-class Survey Vessel (Large) programme.
- Its sister ships are INS Sandhayak, INS Nirdeshak, and INS Ikshak.
- It is equipped with Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), and multi-beam echo sounders.
- INS Sanshodhak is a stealth guided-missile destroyer.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None
(Statement 4 is wrong; INS Sanshodhak is a Survey Vessel (Large) for hydrographic and oceanographic survey, NOT a stealth guided-missile destroyer.)
Q4. With reference to INS Agray and the Arnala-class, consider the following statements:
- INS Agray is part of the Arnala-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) programme.
- The ASW-SWC programme involves 16 vessels split between GRSE and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).
- The Arnala-class is designed to replace the ageing Abhay-class corvettes of the Indian Navy.
- INS Agray is powered by nuclear propulsion for unlimited endurance.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None
(Statement 4 is wrong; INS Agray uses waterjet propulsion for high manoeuvrability and low noise, NOT nuclear propulsion.)
Q5. With reference to BrahMos missiles and MRSAM, consider the following statements:
- BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India (DRDO) and Russia (NPO Mashinostroyeniya).
- The name BrahMos is derived from the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers.
- MRSAM (Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile) is jointly developed by DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
- BrahMos is a subsonic anti-ship cruise missile with a limited range of 50 km.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None
(Statement 4 is wrong; BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile (Mach 2.8–3.0) with extended-range variants reaching 800+ km, NOT a subsonic missile with 50 km range.)
Q6. With reference to India’s naval modernisation in 2026, consider the following statements:
- The Indian Navy plans to commission 19 warships in 2026, the largest annual force accretion in its history.
- Including 2025, this means 33 warships across 24 months (January 2025 to December 2026).
- Defence production in India has grown from approximately ₹40,000 crore in 2014 to nearly ₹1.8 lakh crore in 2026.
- All Indian Navy warships are currently being built exclusively by foreign shipyards.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None
(Statement 4 is wrong; the Indian Navy emphasises indigenous construction; INS Dunagiri, Sanshodhak, and Agray were built by GRSE Kolkata with >75% indigenous content.)
Answer Key
- (c), Statements 1, 2, 3 are correct; Statement 4 is wrong because this was the second tri-commissioning in 2026.
- (c), Statements 1, 2, 3 are correct; Statement 4 is wrong because INS Dunagiri uses CODOG propulsion.
- (c), Statements 1, 2, 3 are correct; Statement 4 is wrong because INS Sanshodhak is a survey vessel.
- (c), Statements 1, 2, 3 are correct; Statement 4 is wrong because INS Agray uses waterjet propulsion.
- (c), Statements 1, 2, 3 are correct; Statement 4 is wrong because BrahMos is supersonic with longer range.
- (c), Statements 1, 2, 3 are correct; Statement 4 is wrong because Indian warships are predominantly indigenous now.
