PM Modi to preside over ceremony to commission  2 warships

NEW DELHI: In a big boost to India’s naval fleet strength, the Indian Navy is scheduled to commission three indigenously-built frontline platforms – advanced stealth frigate Dunagiri, survey vessel (large) Sanshodhak, and anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW-SWC) Agray – in Kolkata on Sunday. The landmark ceremony of the commissioning of three ships will be presided over by PM Narendra Modi.Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, the vessels represent key operational capabilities across maritime combat, hydrographic surveying and anti-submarine warfare. These platforms will bolster India’s blue-water capability, shallow-water anti-submarine operations, and oceanographic surveying.Together, they reflect the Navy’s balanced approach to capability development, strengthening blue-water operations, enhancing maritime domain awareness, and securing coastal waters against evolving threats, a defence ministry release said.Dunagiri, the fifth Project 17A stealth frigate, is equipped with advanced weapons and sensors, including BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles and the medium-range surface-to-air missile system, significantly enhancing the Navy’s combat capability.

Sanshodhak, the fourth Survey Vessel (Large), is designed for coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys and collection of oceanographic and geophysical data for defence and civil applications, and is equipped with advanced survey systems, including autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated vehicles.

Agray, the fourth of the Arnala-class ASW-SWC, is equipped with lightweight torpedoes, indigenous rocket launchers, and shallow-water sonar systems to detect and engage underwater threats in littoral waters.

The three platforms demonstrate the growing maturity of India’s indigenous shipbuilding ecosystem, with indigenous content exceeding 75%. Their construction involved extensive participation by Indian industry, including more than 200 MSMEs, and generated substantial direct and indirect employment.