Tri-Commissioning ceremony of INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak
Why in News?
The Tri-Commissioning ceremony of INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak took place on June 21, 2026, in Kolkata’s Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally commissioned all three indigenously built naval vessels in a single rare event — marking a major milestone in India's maritime modernisation and defence self-reliance.
INS Dunagiri (Stealth Frigate)
- Class & Project: Fifth guided-missile stealth frigate built under the Project 17A (Nilgiri-class) initiative.
- Builder: Fabricated by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).
- Specifications: Spans 149 metres in length with a displacement exceeding 6,600 tonnes.
- Weapons System: Equipped with lethal BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles alongside Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) grids.
- Role: Operates as a frontline combatant designed for anti-air, anti-surface, and deep anti-submarine operations.
INS Sanshodhak (Survey Vessel Large)
- Class & Project: Fourth and final platform of the Sandhayak-class Survey Vessels Large (SVL) project.
- Literal Meaning: The name "Sanshodhak" translates natively to "Researcher".
- Key Weaponry/Tech: Fitted with advanced Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), and multibeam echo-sounders.
- Role: Conducts full-scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys while amassing oceanographic and geophysical datasets for both civilian and defence operations.
INS Agray (Anti-Submarine Shallow Water Craft)
- Class & Project: Fourth vessel under the Arnala-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) category.
- Weaponry & Systems: Loaded with indigenously built rocket launchers, lightweight torpedoes, and specialized shallow-water sonars.
- Role: Engineered for coastal surveillance, tracking subsurface profiles, and destroying underwater threats in littoral (shallow) waters.
Strategic Significance & Indigenous Value
- High Indigenous Content: All three vessels integrate over 80% domestic systems, components, and weaponry, strengthening local defence supply chains.
- Maritime Security: Bolsters India's net security provider role in the Indo-Pacific amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.
- Economic Footprint: The execution of these massive shipbuilding projects directly generated thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs across Indian MSMEs.
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