PM Modi Commissions Three Indigenous Naval Ships INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak, INS Agray In Kolkata

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday commissioned three indigenously designed and built naval ships, INS Dunagiri , INS Sanshodhak and INS Agray , at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata, marking another milestone in India's defence self reliance drive. Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers with indigenous content exceeding 75 percent, the vessels strengthen surface combat, hydrographic survey and anti-submarine warfare capabilities simultaneously. PM Modi declared that no nation can become a great power without maritime strength , adding that "security is necessary for prosperity and self reliance is needed for building the future." He called the event a defining moment for Aatmanirbhar Bharat , noting it coincided with World Hydrography Day and International Day of Yoga.

INS Dunagiri , the fifth Project 17A stealth frigate, carries BrahMos missiles and the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile system. INS Sanshodhak , the final Sandhayak class survey vessel, supports hydrographic mapping besides disaster relief. INS Agray , an Arnala class craft, is equipped with torpedoes and shallow water sonar.

The commissioning is part of a record breaking year, with the Indian Navy set to induct 19 warships in 2026 , its highest ever annual accretion, up from 14 in 2025. Officials say the Navy is now receiving a new vessel roughly every 40 days, aiming for a 200 ship fleet by 2035 . Currently fielding around 140 to 150 warships, India ranks sixth globally by naval strength.

The expansion is largely driven by China , whose People's Liberation Army Navy already operates an estimated 395 ships , projected to swell to 435 by 2030, nearly three times India's fleet size. Beijing's submarine arm alone exceeds 60 boats against India's 19, while its "String of Pearls " port network across Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar has heightened pressure on New Delhi to secure chokepoints like the Malacca Strait. Pakistan's navy, though far smaller, has also expanded its submarine fleet with Chinese origin Hangor class vessels, adding to India's strategic calculus on both flanks.

Within its own ranks, India's transformation is striking: from commissioning its last foreign built warship, INS Tamal from Russia in July 2025, to now constructing nearly every vessel domestically. The Navy is also developing nuclear powered attack submarines, three indigenous aircraft carriers and the Project Varsha submarine base near Visakhapatnam , even as analysts note defence spending has fallen from roughly 4 percent of GDP in the late 1980s to under 2 percent today , a gap officials say must close to sustain this pace.