Vaghsheer, Nilgiri, Surat: How do Indian Navy ships get their name?

INS Vaghsheer is the sixth and final submarine under the Scorpene-class Project 75

The Indian Navy added warships INS Surat, INS Nilgiri and INS Vaghsheer to its fleet on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the commissioning ceremony at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.

"The commissioning of the three frontline naval combatants’ underscores India's unwavering commitment to building a robust and self-reliant defence sector," PM Modi said at the event. The Navy described the commissioning of the three major combatants as a historic occasion.

The three naval combatants join a growing list of warships, frigates and submarines that have bolstered India's maritime might. Their names also tip a hat to a prominent city in India, a scenic mountain range and a deep sea predator of the Indian Ocean.

So how do vessels of the Indian Navy get their names?

The names of Indian Navy ships and submarines are chosen by the Internal Nomenclature Committee (INC) at the Ministry of Defence. This committee is led by the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff and includes representatives from the ministry's historical section and the Human Resource Development Ministry's archaeology department, among others.

As per the policy guidelines, the Navy Chief gives approval to the committee's recommendations. Furthermore, the names, crests, and mottos of key war vessels need the assent of the President.

Naval ships are preceded by the prefix INS, meaning Indian Naval Ship, and follow a specific naming system for different kinds of vessels. For instance, a cruiser or destroyer is named after a state capital, a large city or a great warrior/king (INS Delhi, INS Mysore, etc). Frigates are reportedly named after weapons, river or mountain ranges (INS Talwar, INS Nilgiri) and corvettes are named after some qualities which one can possess or personal arms (INS Veer, INS Khukri).

Submarines, designed for underwater operations, are typically named after predatory fish or concepts associated with the sea (INS Sindhughosh).

A strict rule ensures that no naval or merchant ship can bear the same name as another.

About the three new combatants

INS Nilgiri is named after after the Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats. It is the lead ship of the Project 17A stealth frigate class and marks a significant leap forward compared to the Shivalik-class frigates. Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and constructed at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), it boasts advanced features that enhance survivability, seakeeping, and stealth, representing the next generation of indigenous frigates.

INS Surat is named after the Gujarat city of Surat. It is the last vessel in the Project 15B stealth destroyer class, is an evolution of the Kolkata-class destroyers. With advanced design and enhanced capabilities, it will play a key role in strengthening the Navy's surface fleet.

INS Vaghsheer is named after the sand fish, which is a deep sea predator of the Indian Ocean. The submarine is the sixth and final submarine under the Scorpene-class Project 75. It is a diesel-electric submarine designed for multiple roles, including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and intelligence gathering. It features modular construction, enabling future upgrades such as air independent propulsion technology.