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The Indian Navy inducted another state-of-the-art warship into its fleet on Saturday as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned INS Mahendragiri, an indigenously designed stealth frigate and the sixth Project 17A Nilgiri-class warship, at the Visakhapatnam dockyard.
The Defence Minister also received the Guard of Honour during the commissioning ceremony. Named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats, the frigate symbolises resilience, strength and unwavering resolve. As the first Indian Naval warship to bear this name, Mahendragiri is truly sui generis. The warship is expected to build a distinguished legacy and add another chapter to India's maritime history. Designed in-house by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, Mahendragiri is the sixth ship of the Project 17A class of stealth frigates. The vessel reflects India's growing expertise in indigenous warship design and construction. With over 75 per cent indigenous content, the ship reflects the success of the Government of India's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and highlights the growing capability of the Indian shipbuilding ecosystem. The construction of the ship has involved a large number of Indian industries, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), thereby strengthening the nation's defence industrial base and generating significant employment, as stated in the official release. Mahendragiri is equipped with an advanced suite of indigenous and state-of-the-art weapons, sensors, and electronic warfare systems, enabling her to effectively undertake anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine operations. The ship is also capable of maritime security operations, Search and Rescue missions, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), and sustained deployments across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and beyond. The commissioning of INS Mahendragiri marks another significant milestone in the successful execution of the Project 17A programme. As successive frigates of the class join the fleet, they will continue to enhance the Indian Navy's combat capability while reinforcing India's position as a leading indigenous warship-building nation. The Defence Minister arrived in Visakhapatnam on Friday evening, where he was received by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan. Earlier, Singh described the commissioning of Mahendragiri as a proud moment for the nation and the Indian Navy. "Heading to Visakhapatnam to witness a proud moment for our nation and the Indian Navy, for the Commissioning Ceremony of the 6th Project 17A stealth frigate, Mahendragiri, on 11 July 2026," the Defence Minister said in a post on X. Calling the warship a symbol of India's growing self-reliance in defence manufacturing, Singh said, "This indigenously designed and constructed state-of-the-art warship is a testament to our Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision and the incredible capabilities of our domestic defence industries and MSMEs." He further said that "Mahendragiri is combat-ready to safeguard India's maritime interests and strengthen our resolve for a secure Indo-Pacific." (ANI)
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