Indian Navy Commissions Three Indigenous Warships INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak and INS Agray

On 21 June 2026, the Indian Navy formally commissioned three new warships at Kolkata, in a ceremony presided over by the Prime Minister. The three vessels — the stealth frigate INS Dunagiri, the survey ship INS Sanshodhak, and the anti-submarine warfare craft INS Agray — were built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE). Each ship is designed for a different role: one for combat far out at sea, one for mapping the ocean floor, and one for hunting submarines close to the coast.

A key point for aspirants is the self-reliance angle. The Ministry of Defence said the three ships together carry more than 75 per cent indigenous (domestically made) content and involved over 200 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). This fits the government's push for self-reliance, or Aatmanirbharta, in defence manufacturing.

INS Dunagiri is the largest and most heavily armed of the three. A frigate is a warship smaller than a destroyer but big enough to operate far from the coast in deep, open sea (a blue-water environment). It is part of Project 17A, India's programme to build a new generation of stealth guided-missile frigates. Stealth here does not mean invisible — it means the ship is harder to detect on radar and other sensors. Dunagiri carries BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles and a Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) system. Sister ships in this class include Nilgiri, Himgiri, Taragiri, Udaygiri and Vindhyagiri.

INS Sanshodhak is a large survey vessel. Its job is to map the sea — measuring water depth, seabed features, port approaches and ocean data using tools such as autonomous underwater vehicles and multi-beam echo sounders. This information helps both warships and civilian shipping move safely. INS Agray is an Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), built to detect and attack enemy submarines in shallow waters near the coast.

For exams, remember the three ship names and their roles, the builder (GRSE, Kolkata), Project 17A for stealth frigates, the BrahMos and MRSAM weapons on Dunagiri, and the figure of over 75 per cent indigenous content as an example of Make in India in defence.