Emphasising that no nation can emerge as a major power without strong maritime capabilities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (June 21, 2026) commissioned three indigenously built naval ships in Kolkata.
Mr. Modi commissioned INS Dunagiri, an advanced stealth frigate; INS Sanshodhak, a survey vessel (large); and INS Agray, an anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft into the Indian Navy and described the event as an important milestone in the journey towards “an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, a secure India and a developed India”.
“The country whose maritime strength is robust, its economic and strategic influence will be equally robust. India is preparing itself for this,” the Prime Minister said, adding that development and prosperity are linked to oceans as world’s trade moves through sea routes.
The Prime Minister asserted that India does not wish to remain merely a buyer in the defence sector. “The strength of the nation’s military cannot be measured by its dependence on global markets but by its ability to become self-reliant. India seeks to become a producer and a manufacturer, because nations that manufacture become decisive players on the global stage,” he added.
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A milestone for India's maritime security! Speaking at the Tri Commissioning ceremony of INS Agray, INS Dunagiri and INS Sanshodhak in Kolkata. @indiannavyhttps://t.co/obmbDiY4T0— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2026
A milestone for India's maritime security! Speaking at the Tri Commissioning ceremony of INS Agray, INS Dunagiri and INS Sanshodhak in Kolkata. @indiannavyhttps://t.co/obmbDiY4T0
Highlighting recent achievements in indigenous shipbuilding capabilities of the country, Mr. Modi noted that more than 40 indigenously built warships and submarines have been inducted into the Indian Navy over the past few years.
Speaking at the event at Kolkata’s Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, which coincided with 12th International Day of Yoga, the Prime Minister said the government views the maritime sector not as an isolated industry but as a major engine of employment and economic growth for a developed India.
Mr. Modi emphasised that time has come for India to enter the next phase of maritime development, and the government has adopted a new vision for the shipbuilding sector and has introduced several policy reforms in recent years to enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities.
“The ₹70,000 crore incentive package announced for the shipping sector is not merely an economic measure but an investment in India’s maritime future and industrial expansion. Initiatives such as Sagarmala reflect this comprehensive vision and are helping reduce logistics costs, accelerate industrial growth and create new opportunities in coastal regions” he said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took to social media and said that the tri-commissioning of INS Dunagiri, INS Agray, and INS Sanshodhak in the presence of Prime Minister Modi was going to be a “defining moment in India’s maritime capability development”.
Speaking at the event, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Krishna Swaminathan said the three projects have also set many new records. He pointed out that INS Dunagiri is the fifth warship of the Project 17A Frigate programme and comes loaded with the latest combat capabilities, while INS Sanshodhak is the fourth hydrographic survey vessel of the Sandhayak class and INS Agray is the fourth ASW shallow watercraft of the Arnala class.
“Last year in Mumbai, our Prime Minister presided over Independent India’s very first tri-commissioning. Today, just 17 months later, this second tri-commissioning in Kolkata shows that India’s warship-building capability is gaining new speed in modern technology, self-reliance, and self-confidence,” Admiral Swaminathan said.
