Aatmanirbhar Naval Boost: Frigate, Sub-Hunter And Survey Ship Delivered To Indian Navy - DETAILS

Kolkata: In a major boost to the Indian Navy's capabilities, three newly built warships were handed over to the force to get commissioned. Three frontline naval platforms—INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak, and INS Agray—were delivered to the Indian Navy by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE) as part of the Central government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.Commodore PR Hari, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of GRSE, called this delivery historic. Talking exclusively to Times Now, Commodore Hari said, "We call this delivery historic, because it's the first time in the history of India that three warships of three different projects are being delivered to the Indian Navy. Same customer, same shipyard, but three different warships of three different classes.""If

we made history on 30th of March 2026, history is going to be rewritten soon when all these three ships (2:04) are going to be commissioned on the same day," he added.Explaining the importance of the warships delivered to the Indian Navy, the GRSE Chaieman said that these vessels are equipped with advanced weapons and sensors."These ships, all the three ships are definitely special. I'll first come to the P-17 Alpha Frigate Dhunagiri. Dhunagiri belongs to the Nilgiri class of frigates. Earlier Navy had again Nilgiri class of ships. You must be aware that warships never die. So when one class of ship finishes, the next class with the same name comes up. While the old Nilgiri was just about 113 metres long, 2900 tonnes, the new Nilgiri class ships, including Dhunagiri that we have delivered, they are much, much larger. The ships are 149 metres long, 6670 tonnes displacement and packed with some of the most advanced weapons and sensors," he saif.Taking about the survey vessel, Commodore Hari said, "Survey vessels are meant to do hydrographic survey. They do the survey of our both inland waters and also do survey for the coastal survey and also do deep sea survey, not only for India and for also friendly foreign nations. So these ships are national assets."Meanwhile, INS Agray, an anti-submarine shallow water craft, is a small ship, just 77 metres long. "INS Agray, is the ship that we have delivered now. These ships belong to an eight ship anti-submarine shallow water craft project that we are executing for the Navy. These ships are small, as I mentioned, but very, very potent. Potent in terms of their weapon and sensor fit. They have a main gun, the stabilised optical controlled system, that is SRCG, and also a naval surface gun." Notably, INS Agray is the 118th warship delivered by the GRSE to the Indian Navy.

Features Of The Three Warships delivered By The GRSE:

INS Dunagiri: It is the second Advanced Guided-Missile Frigate built by GRSE under Project 17A, represents a significant advancement in indigenous warship design and construction. Launched on July 15, 2022, by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the warship is among the most sophisticated platforms built by GRSE. Powered by a combination of diesel engines and gas turbines, it offers superior speed, endurance, and operational flexibility. The 149-metre-long, 6,670-tonne guided-missile frigate is equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, including advanced missile systems, modern AESA radar, and an integrated combat management system, enabling multi-dimensional operations across air, surface, and sub-surface domains. Equipped with BrahMos anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles, along with advanced defence systems, Dunagiri represents a significant leap in naval strike and defensive capabilities. INS Sanshodhak, last of the four Survey Vessels (Large) built by GRSE, represents a key addition to the Indian Navy’s hydrographic and survey capabilities. Launched on June 13, 2023, the 110-metre-long vessel is equipped with advanced systems for conducting full-scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys, including port and harbour approaches, navigation channels, and maritime limits. It is also capable of collecting oceanographic and geographical data for defence applications. In addition to its primary survey role, the vessel can support helicopter operations, participate in low-intensity combat, function as a hospital ship, and undertake Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions. Powered by marine diesel engines and fitted with bow and stern thrusters for enhanced manoeuvrability at low speeds, the vessel is ideally suited for precise survey operations.INS Agray: It, one of the eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW-SWCs) being built by GRSE and launched on March 13, 2024, reflects steady progress in this critical class of ships. The approximately 77.6-meter-long warship is designed for operations in coastal waters, these vessels are capable of full-scale sub-surface surveillance, search and attack missions, as well as coordinated operations with aircraft. The warship is equipped with a Combat Management System and is armed with lightweight torpedoes and anti-submarine warfare rockets. With approximately 88 per cent indigenous content, Agray is also fitted with a 30 mm Naval Surface Gun, further reinforcing indigenous capabilities. Engineered for agility and precision, the vessel is powered by marine diesel engines coupled with waterjets, enabling high manoeuvrability. With a shallow draught of about 2.7 metres, it is ideally suited for operations in littoral waters.