Narendra Modi Commissions Three Indigenous Naval Ships, Strengthening India’s Maritime Power
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday commissioned three indigenously designed and built naval platforms into the Indian Navy at a landmark ceremony in Kolkata, marking a significant boost to India’s maritime capabilities and the country’s drive toward self-reliance in defense manufacturing. The newly inducted vessels are INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak, and INS Agray, all built in India under the government’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative.
Three New Indigenous Platforms Join the Navy
The commissioning ceremony witnessed the induction of:
- INS Dunagiri – an advanced stealth-guided missile frigate designed for multi-dimensional warfare.
- INS Sanshodhak – a large survey vessel equipped with modern hydrographic and oceanographic capabilities.
- INS Agray – an anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft designed to detect and neutralize underwater threats in coastal waters.
These platforms are expected to enhance the Indian Navy’s operational reach, surveillance capabilities, coastal security, and maritime domain awareness amid evolving geopolitical challenges in the Indian Ocean Region.
Modi Highlights Strategic Importance of Maritime Strength
Addressing naval personnel and defense officials, Prime Minister Modi emphasized that a nation’s development, security, and prosperity are deeply connected to the sea. He stated that strong maritime capabilities have become a decisive factor in determining a country’s economic influence, strategic reach, and national security.
The Prime Minister described the commissioning as another milestone in India’s journey toward becoming a leading maritime power and underlined the importance of indigenous shipbuilding in strengthening national defense.
INS Dunagiri: India’s Next-Generation Stealth Frigate
Among the three vessels, INS Dunagiri has drawn particular attention as a sophisticated stealth-guided missile frigate under the Indian Navy’s Project 17A program. Designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), the vessel is capable of conducting operations across surface, aerial, and underwater domains. Its advanced stealth features significantly reduce detectability while enhancing combat effectiveness.
Boost to Aatmanirbhar Bharat
Defense analysts view the induction of these three platforms as a major achievement for India’s indigenous defense ecosystem. The commissioning demonstrates the growing capabilities of Indian shipyards and defense manufacturers in producing complex naval assets domestically. The move aligns with the government’s long-term objective of reducing dependence on foreign military imports while expanding India’s defense-industrial base.
Strategic Implications
The addition of INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak, and INS Agray comes at a time when maritime security has become increasingly important in the Indo-Pacific region. With growing competition in regional waters and expanding naval activities across the Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy is accelerating modernization efforts to maintain operational superiority and safeguard national interests.
The commissioning of three indigenous naval platforms represents another significant step in India’s naval modernization program. By inducting advanced warfighting, surveillance, and anti-submarine capabilities into the fleet, India has reinforced its commitment to maritime security, technological self-reliance, and strategic preparedness in an increasingly complex regional environment.
