- Why in news
- On 21 June 2026, PM Modi commissioned three indigenously designed and built naval ships, INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak and INS Agray, at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata.
- What it is
- The three ships were designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. Dunagiri is a stealth frigate, Sanshodhak a large survey vessel and Agray an anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft. They add to the push for indigenous warship building under Aatmanirbharta.
- Dunagiri
- An advanced stealth frigate commissioned into the Navy.
- Designer and builder
- All three were designed by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau and built by GRSE in Kolkata.
- Indigenous content
- The ships have over 75 percent indigenous content.
- Defence production
- Defence production rose from about ₹40,000 crore in 2014 to nearly ₹1.8 lakh crore, per the PM.
Don’t confuse with Survey vessel vs warship: Sanshodhak is a hydrographic survey vessel, used for charting and maritime domain awareness, not a combat frigate like Dunagiri.
Don’t confuse with World Hydrography Day vs International Day of Yoga: Both fall on 21 June; the release links the Sanshodhak commissioning to World Hydrography Day.
Defence: Prelims tests exercises (with whom), equipment (who makes it) and firsts.
Why it matters
- Strengthens coastal security and maritime domain awareness.
- Boosts indigenous shipbuilding, MSME participation and jobs, supporting Aatmanirbharta.
Problems
- Reliance on imported critical components and systems can limit true self-reliance.
- Delivery delays and capacity limits in shipyards.
Way forward
- Deepen domestic supply chains for engines, sensors and weapons.
- Use shipbuilding incentives and Sagarmala to expand yard capacity and exports.
Put in your answer
Shipping incentive: A ₹70,000 crore incentive package for the shipping sector, as cited by the PM.
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UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Defence hardware seldom reaches Mains; Prelims defence questions are 8 of 327, so a card is enough with no practice question.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.