India’s three new naval ships boost maritime firepower

NEW DELHI — India has commissioned three domestically built naval vessels—a multi-role stealth frigate, an anti-submarine warfare platform, and a survey ship—as it accelerates both its naval modernization efforts and its push to design and build advanced naval platforms indigenously.The most significant induction, which took place Sunday in the eastern city of Kolkata, was the stealth frigate named “Dunagiri.” One of India’s most advanced surface combatants, it is nearly 149 meters in length and displaces around 6,600 tonnes.Equipped with advanced weapons, sensors and stealth technologies, the new warship is designed to perform air-defense, anti-surface, anti-submarine and long-range strike missions simultaneously.In a statement, the Defense Ministry said the frigate represents a leap in indigenous warship design and combat readiness. “Built using modular construction techniques and armed with supersonic surface to surface missiles, advanced air defense systems, MR Gun, close-in weapon systems and advanced antisubmarine warfare capabilities, the frigate is designed for high-end operations.”The warship is the fifth in a class of stealth guided-missile frigates inducted since last January. Armed with Brahmos cruise missiles, MF star radar, and Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles, these multi-role platforms will gradually replace aging warships. Two more frigates are scheduled for induction in the coming months.The other two ships commissioned on Sunday will augment the navy’s capabilities in anti-submarine warfare and maritime surveillance. The increasing deployment of submarines by China and other countries in the Indian Ocean region has made these naval platforms are significant for New Delhi.The anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft, Agray, is equipped with lightweight torpedoes, indigenous rocket launchers, and shallow-water sonar systems to detect, track and engage enemy submarines operating close to India’s coastline. The third vessel, Sanshodhak, will support