INS Dunagiri, Agray and Sanshodhak set for simultaneous Navy Induction

The Indian Navy is all set to commission three indigenous vessels simultaneously in Kolkata this week, marking one of the rare occasions when multiple frontline platforms will enter service together.

Sources said the commissioning ceremony is expected in the coming days. The event is also likely to coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kolkata on June 21.

The three vessels slated for induction are stealth frigate INS Dunagiri, anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft INS Agray and survey ship INS Sanshodhak. Together, they represent key capabilities spanning surface combat, underwater warfare and maritime domain awareness.

The upcoming induction comes at a time when the Navy is maintaining an intensive operational presence across the Indian Ocean Region amid evolving security challenges, including increased submarine activity and the growing strategic footprint of external powers in the region.

Here are the three vessels that the Indian Navy is due to induct into its fleet this week:

INS DUNAGIRI

INS Dunagiri, the fifth vessel under the Project-17A stealth frigate programme and the second built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), will unarguably be among the Navy’s most advanced warships once it is commissioned into service. Equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, modern air-defence systems and anti-submarine weapons, the frigate is designed to undertake a wide range of combat missions in blue-water environments.

INS AGRAY

INS Agray, part of the Arnala-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft project, will strengthen the Navy’s capability to detect and neutralise underwater threats in coastal and littoral waters. Fitted with advanced sonar systems, lightweight torpedoes and indigenous anti-submarine rocket launchers, the vessel is intended to enhance surveillance and defence of India’s vast coastline and critical maritime infrastructure.

INS SANSHODHAK

Completing the trio of ships to be inducted into the Indian Navy's fleet is INS Sanshodhak, the final ship of the Survey Vessel (Large) programme. The platform is equipped with advanced hydrographic survey equipment, autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated systems used for seabed mapping, navigational charting and oceanographic data collection. Such capabilities are increasingly important for both military operations and civilian maritime activities.

BOOST TO INDIGENOUS CAPABILITIES

The simultaneous commissioning reflects the Navy’s focus on rapidly translating indigenous shipbuilding projects into operational assets. It also underlines the growing role of Indian shipyards in supporting defence modernisation under the government’s push for self-reliance in defence production.

This will be the second major occasion in recent years when three frontline naval platforms are inducted together. A similar ceremony was held in January 2025 when a destroyer, a frigate and a submarine joined the fleet in Mumbai.

The latest inductions are expected to further strengthen the Navy’s ability to secure vital sea lanes, conduct anti-submarine operations and enhance maritime surveillance at a time when developments in West Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific continue to influence India’s security calculus.

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