New Delhi, March 30: The Indian Navy is continuously enhancing its capabilities by incorporating indigenous warships into its fleet. March 30 marked a historic day as three indigenous vessels were handed over to the Navy in a single day. This achievement was made possible by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE). The vessels include a guided missile frigate, an anti-submarine warfare craft, and a survey vessel.
The advanced guided stealth frigate ‘Taaragiri’ of the Nilgiri class is set to join the Navy. It will be formally commissioned on April 3 in Visakhapatnam, with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh dedicating it to the Navy.
Just three days prior, on March 30, GRSE also delivered the fifth guided stealth frigate ‘Doonagiri’ under Project 17A to the Navy. This new warship is a modern version of the previous INS Doonagiri, which was a Leander-class frigate and served from May 5, 1977, to October 10, 2010.
This marks the fifth warship of the P17A class delivered to the Indian Navy in the last 16 months. The construction time for this vessel was reduced from 93 months to 80 months based on the experiences from the first four ships. Under Project 17A, seven Nilgiri-class frigates are being built. The first, INS Nilgiri, was inducted in January 2025, followed by INS Himgiri and INS Udaygiri. Now, it’s Taaragiri’s turn.
All these frigates are equipped with BrahMos missiles, which are highly effective in anti-ship and anti-surface warfare. They also feature the ‘Barak-8’ long-range surface-to-air missile, air defense guns, indigenous torpedoes ‘Varunastra’, anti-submarine rocket launchers, modern sonar systems, combat management systems, and multi-function radars. These frigates can detect and neutralize enemy attacks and include hangars for two helicopters. Approximately 75% of the equipment is indigenous, and the design is prepared by the Navy’s warship design bureau. Weighing 6,700 tons, these ships can operate at speeds of up to 30 nautical miles per hour.
To tackle enemy submarines, the Indian Navy has initiated the ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) shallow water craft project. In 2019, a contract was awarded for the construction of 16 vessels, with eight being built at Cochin Shipyard and eight at GRSE. Under this project, GRSE has delivered ‘Agre’ to the Navy. Previously, INS Arnala, INS Andrott, INS Mahe, and INS Anjadip have also been inducted. This craft features anti-submarine rocket launchers, lightweight torpedoes, a 30 mm naval gun, hull-mounted sonar, and variable depth sonar. It can operate at speeds of 25 nautical miles per hour and cover distances of approximately 3,300 km, capable of detecting enemy submarines up to 100-150 nautical miles from the coast.
Understanding underwater conditions and conducting hydrographic surveys is crucial today. These surveys are essential for preparing charts for safe navigation. The Indian Navy contracted the construction of four large survey vessels on October 30, 2018. INS Sandhya and INS Nirdeshak are set to join the Navy in 2024, while INS Ikshak was inducted last year. Now, the fourth and final survey vessel ‘Sanshodhak’ has also been delivered to the Navy. While the sea surface may appear calm, various threats exist beneath it—some areas are deeper, while others are shallower. Events like tsunamis continuously alter the seabed. Hydrographic maps are vital for avoiding these invisible dangers, and such survey vessels create them. This vessel, built by GRSE in Kolkata, has over 80% indigenous content.
Designed by the Indian Navy’s design bureau, this vessel is 110 meters long and weighs approximately 3,800 tons. It features two diesel engines, allowing it to remain at sea for over 25 days and reach maximum speeds of 18 nautical miles per hour. This ship will play a significant role in India’s maritime security and mapping of maritime areas.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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