NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy will commission INS Mahendragiri, the sixth of seven indigenous Project 17A stealth frigates, at Visakhapatnam on Saturday, adding another advanced frontline warship to its fleet as China steadily expands its footprint in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), the 6,670-tonne guided missile frigate was delivered to the Navy on April 30 after completing sea trials. It will join the Eastern Fleet under the Eastern Naval Command.
The commissioning marks another milestone in the Navy’s indigenous warship-building programme, which has gathered pace over the past year. INS Taragiri was commissioned in April, while INS Dunagiri joined the fleet last month. With Mahendragiri, only one Project 17A frigate remains to be inducted.
Designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, the Nilgiri-class frigates are a significant upgrade over the earlier Shivalik class. They feature reduced radar and infrared signatures, improved survivability and greater automation, enabling lower crew requirements and better combat efficiency.
The frigate is armed with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, anti-submarine warfare weapons, advanced electronic warfare systems and an integrated combat management system. Powered by a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system, it combines high speed with long endurance for sustained blue-water operations.
The induction comes amid heightened maritime competition in the Indo-Pacific. Chinese naval task groups, survey ships and intelligence-gathering vessels have made increasingly frequent deployments into the IOR, while Pakistan is inducting Chinese-built frigates and submarines, underlining the need for a capable and persistent Indian naval presence.
With over 75 per cent indigenous content, Mahendragiri reflects the growing maturity of India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem. The programme has involved a wide network of domestic industries, including numerous MSMEs, in line with the government’s push for self-reliance in defence production.
The Rs. 45,000 crore Project 17A programme, approved in 2015, comprises four frigates being built by MDL in Mumbai and three by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata. Though the project faced delays in its early years, deliveries have accelerated, signalling that production at both shipyards has stabilised.
Named after the Mahendragiri peak in the Eastern Ghats, the warship is the first Indian naval vessel to carry the name. It is expected to undertake a wide spectrum of missions, including sea control, maritime security, anti-submarine warfare, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and sustained deployments across the Indo-Pacific.