Stealth frigate 'Mahendragiri' to be commissioned into Navy; Rajnath to attend ceremony in Vizag

New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) Indigenous stealth frigate 'Mahendragiri', endowed with state-of-the-art weapons, is set to be commissioned into the Navy on July 11, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday asserting that the warship is "combat ready" to safeguard India's maritime interests. The sixth ship of the Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) will be commissioned at a ceremony in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The ship is fully prepared to join the fleet as a "mission primed combat platform", a Navy spokesperson said. "The frigate is equipped with an advanced suite of indigenous and state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, including surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile systems, sophisticated electronic warfare capabilities, comprehensive anti-submarine warfare systems and an integrated combat management system," the Navy earlier said. It is capable of undertaking anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine operations, and is equally suited for maritime security, power projection, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), search and rescue, and sustained presence missions. Defence Minister Singh in a post on X, said, "Heading to Visakhapatnam to witness a "proud moment" for the nation and the Navy, the commissioning ceremony of the sixth Project 17A stealth frigate, 'Mahendragiri', on July 11. "This indigenously designed and constructed state-of-the-art warship is a testament to our #AatmanirbharBharat vision and the incredible capabilities of our domestic defence industries and MSMEs. Mahendragiri, is combat ready to safeguard India's maritime interests and strengthen our resolve for a secure Indo-Pacific," he said. The frigate was delivered on April 30 at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL), Mumbai. Its construction has brought together a vast network of Indian industries, including numerous Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), generating employment while strengthening the nation’s defence industrial base. Named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats, the frigate embodies resilience, strength and unwavering resolve, the Indian Navy said. Incorporating advanced stealth features, enhanced survivability, reduced radar signature and a high degree of automation, the frigate is powered by a modern Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system, enabling high-speed operations with "exceptional endurance across the full spectrum of maritime missions," it said. Designed by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by MDL Mumbai, 'Mahendragiri' is the sixth ship of the Nilgiri-class (Project 17A). "With over 75 per cent indigenous content, 'Mahendragiri' exemplifies the government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and highlights the growing capability of the Indian shipbuilding ecosystem," the Navy said. P17A ships are fitted with an advanced weapon and sensor suite as compared to the P17 (Shivalik-class). As India continues to strengthen its role as the preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean Region, 'Mahendragiri' will serve as a "formidable force multiplier, safeguarding the nation’s maritime interests and contributing to a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific," the Navy said. The commissioning of this frigate marks another significant milestone in the successful execution of the Project 17A programme. Indigenous stealth frigate 'Dunagiri', the fifth ship of Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) frigates, power-packed with state-of-the-art weapon and sensor suites and engineered for sustained operations, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in Kolkata on June 21. The frigate, along with two other frontline platforms -- Survey Vessel (Large) 'Sanshodhak' and the fourth of the Arnala-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, 'Agray' -- was commissioned into the naval force in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. INS Nilgiri, the lead ship of P17A frigates, was commissioned on January 15, 2025. INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri were commissioned into the Navy on August 26, 2025. INS Taragiri, the fourth potent platform of the Project 17A class endowed with a cutting-edge weapon suite, including supersonic missiles, was commissioned into the Navy in the presence of the defence minister at Visakhapatnam on April 3. PTI KND MNK MNK