In a historic move on Wednesday, India commissioned three indigenously developed warships and a new attack submarine, signaling a major step in enhancing its naval power. The warships include the stealth frigate INS Nilgiri, the guided missile destroyer INS Surat, and the attack submarine INS Vaghsheer. This marks the first time India has commissioned three entirely home-built vessels at once, showcasing the country’s growing military self-sufficiency.

The simultaneous commissioning of these warships is not only a significant achievement for India but also a strategic response to the growing naval power of China, which has been rapidly expanding its fleet, and Pakistan's plans to enhance its navy with Chinese assistance. This development plays into India’s broader military modernization plans, which include an ongoing overhaul of its Soviet-era weaponry and a $15 billion push toward domestic defence manufacturing under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "Make in India" initiative.

As part of this shift, the government claims that more than 75% of the warships in India’s fleet have been developed domestically. The commissioning of the three ships is expected to boost India’s maritime capabilities, especially as the country faces increasing strategic competition in the Indian Ocean region.

Key Highlights of the New Naval Assets:

• INS Nilgiri: This advanced stealth frigate is part of Project 17A and is equipped with next-generation attack and stealth technologies. It will cost approximately Rs 4,000 crore per ship and is a significant upgrade over the current Shivalik-class frigates.

• INS Surat: This guided missile destroyer is India's first 'AI-enabled' warship and is the last in the powerful Visakhapatnam class. It features subsystems from Russian, Israeli, and Ukrainian technologies. The destroyer will carry supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles and Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles.

• INS Vaghsheer: A Scorpene-class attack submarine with advanced stealth capabilities, INS Vaghsheer is equipped with a revolutionary air-independent propulsion system and is capable of undertaking both anti-surface and anti-submarine missions. Each of these submarines costs approximately Rs 3,942 crore.

The launch of these new vessels will significantly strengthen India’s naval forces and help safeguard its maritime interests in the face of growing competition, particularly from China and Pakistan.