INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak and INS Agray

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INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak and INS Agray

News:

The Indian Navy is scheduled to commission three indigenously built frontline platforms – Dunagiri, Sanshodhak, and Agray – in Kolkata on 21 Jun 2026.

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 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, 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 percent. Their construction involved extensive participation by Indian industry, including more than 200 MSMEs, and generated substantial direct and indirect employment.

What is Project 17-A?

Project 17A is a direct follow-on (successor) to the older Project 17 (Shivalik-class) frigates. While the Shivalik-class ships were excellent, the Navy needed platforms that were faster, smarter, and much harder for enemy radars to detect.

 

The "A" in 17A stands for Advanced, signifying massive upgrades in stealth technology, weapon integration, and building methods.

Under this project, a total of seven advanced stealth guided-missile frigates were commissioned to be built entirely in India.

Following naval tradition, the ships are named after prominent mountain ranges in India. They were divided between two public-sector shipyards to speed up construction:

Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai:

1. INS Nilgiri (The base ship of the class)
2. INS Udaygiri
3. INS Taragiri
4. INS Vindhyagiri

Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata:

1. INS Himgiri
2. INS Dunagiri
3. INS Mahendragiri

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