Rupal Kalebere
Naval Modernisation and Maritime Capability Enhancement
The Indian Navy commissioned INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak and INS Agray in Kolkata on 21 June. The three ships were constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers with participation from more than 200 Indian MSMEs and reported indigenous content exceeding 75%.
INS Dunagiri is the fifth Nilgiri-class frigate under Project 17A and the second of the class built by GRSE. It is equipped for surface warfare, air defence and anti-submarine operations, with supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, air-defence systems, a medium-calibre gun, close-in weapon systems and helicopter-operating capability.
Dunagiri strengthens the Navy’s surface combatant fleet and can undertake fleet protection, escort, surface warfare and long-range maritime deployment. Its commissioning also reflects the increasing maturity of India’s warship-design and modular-construction ecosystem. Its reported indigenous content is significant, although major warships may still rely on imported propulsion, sensors or specialist components.
INS Sanshodhak is the fourth Survey Vessel (Large). It is equipped with hydrographic and oceanographic systems and carries four Survey Motor Boats. Hydrographic capability supports safe navigation, submarine and surface-ship operations, coastal development and maritime planning.
Sanshodhak can also conduct surveys for partner countries, giving it a maritime-diplomacy role. Its helicopter and hospital-ship functions increase its utility during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
INS Agray is the fifth Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft. It is equipped with sonar, torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets and a combat-management system. Waterjet propulsion improves manoeuvrability in shallow and coastal waters.
Littoral anti-submarine warfare is difficult because seabed conditions, commercial traffic and complex acoustic environments interfere with submarine detection. Dedicated craft such as Agray can patrol naval-base approaches, harbours and coastal shipping routes, allowing larger frigates and destroyers to concentrate on blue-water operations.
Together, the three ships demonstrate a balanced approach to naval modernisation. Dunagiri adds high-end combat power, Sanshodhak strengthens maritime knowledge and regional engagement, and Agray enhances coastal anti-submarine warfare.
The Ministry also signed a Rs. 449 crore contract with Accord Software and Systems for 20 Enhanced Capability Global Navigation Satellite System jammers. The systems are intended to degrade hostile satellite-navigation receivers and conduct spoofing or deceptive jamming.
Since ships, aircraft, unmanned systems and precision weapons depend heavily on satellite positioning and timing, the ability to deny or manipulate these signals can interfere with enemy movement and targeting. The procurement requires minimum indigenous content of 75%.
A second contract, valued at approximately Rs. 425 crore, was signed with Bharat Forge for 12 sets of 1.25 MW marine gas-turbine generators. These systems will provide electrical power for combat systems, sensors, weapons and other onboard equipment. They should be distinguished from a ship’s main propulsion turbines.
Domestic manufacture and life-cycle support can improve availability and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers for maintenance, spares and overhaul. The contract requires minimum indigenous content of 60%.
The Indian Coast Guard also inducted the first of six Air Cushion Vehicles in Goa on 18 June. These hovercraft can operate across shallow water, beaches, marshes and mudflats, supporting coastal surveillance, interception, search and rescue and disaster response.
The vessels are being constructed by Chowgule & Company. Although domestically manufactured with significant local content, they are based on a foreign-origin design. The programme therefore represents localisation and domestic construction rather than completely indigenous design development.
Defence-Industrial Growth and Strategic Infrastructure
India’s annual defence production reached a reported Rs. 1.78 lakh crore in FY 2025-26, representing growth of 15.6% over the previous year. Public-sector entities accounted for approximately 76% of production, while the private sector contributed 24%, or around Rs. 42,000 crore. Defence exports reached Rs. 38,424 crore.
These figures indicate expansion of India’s defence-industrial base and a growing role for private firms. However, production value should not be treated as a direct measure of military capability. Aggregate financial figures do not reveal the number of systems delivered, adherence to schedules, equipment availability or dependence on imported critical technologies.
Production growth becomes strategically meaningful when it produces timely deliveries, adequate inventories, domestic maintenance capacity and the ability to increase output during a prolonged contingency. The June figures are therefore an important indicator of industrial scale, but not a complete measure of self-reliance.
The foundation ceremony for a 10,000-tonne aluminium extrusion press was held at Yantra India Limited’s Ordnance Factory Ambajhari unit in Nagpur on 19 June. The facility is intended to manufacture large and complex aluminium-alloy profiles for fighter aircraft, missiles, aerospace structures and other strategic applications.
Specialised aluminium profiles combine low weight, strength and precise manufacturing tolerances. Dependence on imported alloys or structural sections can create vulnerabilities even when final platforms are assembled domestically. The proposed press will therefore strengthen upstream manufacturing capacity and reduce reliance on foreign sources.
The project remains at the initiation stage and will require construction, process qualification and integration with downstream manufacturers.
The Ministry also approved a 250 MW solar-power project with a Battery Energy Storage System on approximately 850 acres of defence land at Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh. NTPC will implement the project in coordination with the Army and the Directorate General Defence Estates.
The initiative is intended to reduce electricity expenditure and improve long-term energy security. However, the storage capacity, project cost and commissioning schedule were not disclosed, making it a future infrastructure enabler rather than an operational capability.
Institutional Reform and Capability Enablers
The Ministry revised the Delegation of Financial Powers for the Defence Services on 4 June. Financial ceilings available to commanders and other authorities were increased by up to 100%, and by more than double in some categories. Powers for urgent operational requirements, indigenisation, research, medical services and defence works were also enhanced.
The Ministry stated that the framework would facilitate procurement exceeding Rs. 1.25 lakh crore through the revenue route under existing budget allocations. This does not represent additional funding; it indicates the value of procurement expected to be processed under the revised powers.
The reform is significant because operational readiness depends on timely procurement of spares, repairs, services and recurring requirements. Greater delegation can reduce delays by allowing decisions to be taken closer to the operational level. Higher authority for joint procurement by a Lead Service may also reduce duplication across the Services.
The Defence Minister separately released the Delegation of Financial Powers to DRDO 2026 on 29 June. The framework provides dedicated authority for trial campaigns, testing and evaluation, pre-project research and grants involving industry, academia, start-ups and research institutions.
Separate provisions for Extra-Mural Research, Centres of Excellence and Technology Development Fund projects may improve collaboration outside DRDO laboratories and support feasibility studies before full programme sanction.
The Indian Air Force also concluded the fifth Warfare and Aerospace Strategy Programme. The six-month programme, conducted by the Centre for Aerospace Power and Strategic Studies and the College of Air Warfare, focused on aerospace power, limited conflict, innovation, integration and future force design.
Professional military education is an indirect but important capability enabler. It develops officers capable of connecting technology and operational experience with doctrine, strategy and joint force planning.
Conclusion
June 2026 was an important month for India’s defence capability development. It combined missile testing, naval induction, airborne-surveillance maturation, industrial investment and administrative reform.
The commissioning of INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak and INS Agray represented the most immediate addition to operational capability. Netra’s Final Operational Clearance strengthened India’s airborne surveillance and command architecture, while missile trials demonstrated progress in stand-off strike, anti-ship warfare and ballistic missile defence.
At the same time, the aluminium extrusion project, marine gas-turbine generator contract, record defence-production figures and revised financial powers showed increasing attention to the industrial and institutional foundations of military preparedness.
The central challenge remains conversion. Successful tests must lead to serial production; contracts must result in timely delivery; and indigenous content must increasingly be accompanied by domestic control over critical technologies and materials.
In strategic terms, June 2026 strengthened India’s defence trajectory across the air, maritime and industrial domains. The month’s developments suggest that India is building a wider defence ecosystem whose effectiveness will depend on scale, joint integration and sustained availability.