INS Mahendragiri to be commissioned on July 11 in major boost to 'aatmanirbhar' naval capability

India is set to strengthen its maritime capabilities with the commissioning of the indigenous stealth frigate INS Mahendragiri on July 11.

The warship, the sixth vessel of the Nilgiri-class under Project 17A, will be inducted into the Indian Navy at a ceremony in Visakhapatnam in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Built by Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), INS Mahendragiri is among seven advanced guided missile frigates being constructed under Project 17A. The programme is a key part of India's efforts to modernise the Navy while increasing indigenous defence manufacturing under the government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

The commissioning comes weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned INS Dunagiri, the fifth ship of the Nilgiri class, further expanding the Navy's fleet of next-generation stealth warships.

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Advanced combat capabilities

INS Mahendragiri is equipped with a wide range of advanced weapons and sensors designed to tackle threats in the air, on the surface and underwater.

Its primary armament includes BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for long-range precision strikes and Barak-8 air defence missiles to counter aerial threats.

The frigate is also fitted with advanced torpedoes, rocket launchers and AK-630 close-in weapon systems, giving it strong anti-submarine, anti-surface and point-defence capabilities.

Measuring 149 metres in length and displacing around 6,670 tonnes, the warship can achieve a top speed of approximately 28 knots. Like the other vessels in the class, it incorporates advanced stealth features that reduce its radar signature, making it more difficult to detect during operations.

Milestone for indigenous warship building

Project 17A is considered one of India's most ambitious indigenous warship programmes. The Indian Navy has ordered seven Nilgiri-class frigates, with four being built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and three by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).

With more than 75 per cent indigenous content, the project reflects India's growing self-reliance in defence manufacturing. It has involved over 200 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), generated direct employment for around 4,000 people and created indirect jobs for more than 10,000 others.

Mahendragiri was delivered to the Indian Navy on April 30, just 17 months after the delivery of the lead ship, INS Nilgiri, in December 2024. The shorter construction timeline highlights the increasing efficiency of India's shipbuilding industry and the maturity of the country's naval design and production ecosystem.

The Nilgiri-class frigates, designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau, represent a significant upgrade over the earlier Project 17 ships.

With INS Mahendragiri joining the fleet, the Indian Navy will further enhance its ability to safeguard India's maritime interests and operate effectively across the Indian Ocean Region.