According to a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of Defence, the Indian Navy received the fifth of its new Project 17A-class stealth frigates, a milestone that consolidates the expansion of the Asian country’s naval capabilities. The ship INS Dunagiri (F36), belonging to the Nilgiri class, was officially delivered on March 30, 2026, in the city of Kolkata, meeting the planned schedule and reinforcing the Indian Navy’s surface fleet modernization program.
Dunagiri is the fifth ship of Project 17A and the second built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE). The official stated that “the delivery of five P17A ships in a span of just 16 months is a testament to our nation’s shipbuilding capability,” further emphasizing that the achievement supports the Navy’s commitment to the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The frigate was designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team in Kolkata.
INS Dunagiri incorporates state-of-the-art weapons and sensor systems intended to expand the Indian Navy’s ability to operate across multiple scenarios. This equipment will allow it to take part in missions ranging from escorting battle groups to maritime security operations, in line with the country’s strategic objectives in the Indian Ocean. The ship joins the rest of the Nilgiri class, conceived to progressively replace older frigates and strengthen the surface fleet.
The delivery of Dunagiri follows the earlier incorporation of two Project 17A frigates, INS Udaygiri (F35) and INS Himgiri (F34), commissioned on August 26, 2025, in Visakhapatnam. That ceremony was attended by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, marking the first time that two major combat ships, built in different shipyards, entered service simultaneously. Udaygiri was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, while Himgiri was the first unit of the program built by GRSE in Kolkata.
Nilgiri-class frigates
Within the Nilgiri class, several frigates are already active or in advanced phases of construction. Currently operational are INS Nilgiri (F33), INS Udaygiri (F35), and INS Himgiri (F34), all formally integrated into the fleet. For its part, INS Taragiri (F41) has been delivered and is expected to enter service in 2026, while INS Mahendragiri (F38) is advancing through sea trials, with commissioning also estimated for this year. The program is completed by INS Vindhyagiri (F42), launched in 2023 and now in the final stage of preparation.
With the arrival of INS Dunagiri, Project 17A reaches a new stage of progress in a seven-ship plan aimed at modernizing India’s naval structure. The combination of locally designed platforms, construction distributed between MDL and GRSE, and a sustained incorporation process reflects a strategy aimed at expanding the country’s maritime presence in its regional environment. The program continues to develop in parallel with other naval renewal initiatives, with the objective of maintaining a modern fleet suited to current operational demands.
Images obtained from India’s Ministry of Defence.
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