PM dedicates INS Surat, INS Nilgiri and INS Vaghsheer to the nation
First-ever tri-commissioning of a destroyer, a frigate and a submarine at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.
Summary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated three frontline naval combatants, INS Surat, INS Nilgiri and INS Vaghsheer, to the nation at their commissioning at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on 15 January 2025. The PM said it was the first time a destroyer (Surat), a frigate (Nilgiri) and a submarine (Vaghsheer) were commissioned together. INS Nilgiri is dedicated to the maritime prowess of the Chola dynasty, while INS Surat recalls the era when Gujarat's ports connected India to West Asia. INS Vaghsheer is the sixth submarine of the P75 class, the first being Kalvari. INS Nilgiri is the lead ship of the Project P17A stealth frigates built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders; SAIL supplied all 4,000 tonnes of its special steel. The PM said 33 ships and seven submarines joined the Navy in the past decade, with 39 of 40 vessels built in Indian shipyards.
Key facts
- Date and place
- 15 January 2025, Naval Dockyard, Mumbai
- Ships
- INS Surat (destroyer), INS Nilgiri (frigate), INS Vaghsheer (submarine)
- First
- First tri-commissioning of a destroyer, frigate and submarine
- INS Vaghsheer
- Sixth P75 submarine; first was Kalvari
- INS Nilgiri
- Lead ship of P17A; 149 m, about 6,670 tonnes, 28 knots; built by MDL
- Steel
- SAIL supplied all 4,000 tonnes (Bokaro ~2,000 t, Bhilai 1,600 t, Rourkela 400 t)
- Past decade
- 33 ships and 7 submarines inducted; 39 of 40 built in India
Practice MCQs 4 questions
Which three naval combatants were commissioned together at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on 15 January 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — INS Surat, INS Nilgiri and INS Vaghsheer
PIB (MoD): PM dedicated INS Surat, INS Nilgiri and INS Vaghsheer to the nation in Mumbai on 15 January 2025.
Consider the following statements about the vessels commissioned on 15 January 2025: 1. INS Nilgiri is dedicated to the maritime prowess of the Chola dynasty. 2. INS Vaghsheer is the sixth submarine of the P75 class. 3. INS Surat is a submarine. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 and 2 only
INS Surat is a destroyer; Nilgiri (Chola dynasty) and Vaghsheer (sixth P75) are correctly described.
INS Nilgiri, commissioned on 15 January 2025, is the lead ship of which project?
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Correct answer: C — Project P17A
PIB (SAIL release): INS Nilgiri is the indigenous lead ship of the Nilgiri-class Project P17A frigates built by MDL.
How much special steel did SAIL supply for INS Nilgiri?
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Correct answer: C — 4,000 tonnes
PIB: SAIL supplied the entire 4,000 tonnes of special steel (DMR 249A HR sheets and plates) for INS Nilgiri.