The Indian Navy on Saturday commissioned the indigenously built advanced stealth frigate INS Mahendragiri into its Eastern Fleet in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, marking another milestone in India’s drive towards defence self-reliance and maritime modernisation.
Commissioned at Visakhapatnam, the warship is the sixth Project 17A stealth frigate to join the Navy within just 18 months, reflecting the rapid expansion of India’s indigenous naval shipbuilding programme. Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, the warship has over 75 per cent indigenous content and is capable of carrying out the full spectrum of maritime operations, including fleet air defence, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction, surveillance, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) missions.
Addressing the commissioning ceremony, Singh described INS Mahendragiri as a symbol of India’s growing self-reliance in defence manufacturing and a testament to the country’s advanced shipbuilding capabilities.
“This frontline warship is another symbol of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the nation’s commitment to building a technologically advanced and combat-ready Navy,” he said.
Highlighting the ship’s capabilities, the Defence Minister said INS Mahendragiri can be equipped with the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and is fitted with advanced stealth features, multifunction radar, surface-to-air missile systems, anti-submarine warfare capabilities, indigenous rocket launchers, torpedo launchers, an Integrated Anti-Submarine Defence System, electronic warfare suites and close-in weapon systems.
“INS Mahendragiri can be equipped with the BrahMos surface-to-surface missile, one of the world’s fastest and most lethal cruise missiles. It also features a combination of multifunction radar and Surface-to-Air Missiles capable of detecting and neutralising aerial threats at extended ranges. Its arsenal also includes an indigenous rocket launcher, torpedo launchers, an Integrated Anti-Submarine Defence System, an Electronic Warfare suite and a Close-In Weapon System. All these capabilities make the warship formidable and resilient,” Singh said.
He expressed confidence that the “blue-water ship” would safeguard India’s maritime interests far beyond its coastline by strengthening the country’s operational reach in deep oceans.
The 6,670-tonne warship can attain speeds of up to 28 knots and is equipped with modern sensors, network-centric combat systems, an Integrated Platform Management System and a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system.
The Defence Minister stressed that while emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, drones, cyber warfare, hypersonic weapons, space-based systems and unmanned platforms are transforming modern warfare, conventional military capabilities remain equally important.
“Future wars may be fought with Artificial Intelligence, but they will still be won by national resolve, trained soldiers and credible military power,” he said.
Referring to Operation Sindoor, Singh said the operation demonstrated the successful integration of conventional military capabilities with advanced technologies to safeguard national security. He reiterated the government’s commitment to investing in next-generation technologies while simultaneously strengthening conventional defence capabilities.
Emphasising the strategic importance of maritime security, the Defence Minister said India’s economic growth, trade, supply chains and energy security are closely linked to the seas. Reaffirming the government’s commitment to the vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), he said India continues to play the role of a net security provider in the Indo-Pacific.
“India is a net security provider and a trusted partner dedicated to ensuring security and development across the region,” Singh said.
He noted that the Indian Navy has earned recognition as the “First Responder” and “Preferred Security Partner” in the Indo-Pacific through its timely humanitarian assistance, anti-piracy operations and evacuation missions.
Highlighting the Navy’s recent role during the West Asia conflict, Singh said that under Operation Urja Suraksha, it safely escorted 18 merchant vessels carrying essential cargo worth more than ₹9,000 crore.
He expressed confidence that INS Mahendragiri would further strengthen India’s maritime strategy by enhancing the operational capability of the Eastern Fleet, extending the country’s blue-water reach and reinforcing its presence in the Indian Ocean Region.
The Defence Minister also underlined that indigenous warship construction strengthens India’s broader industrial ecosystem by promoting innovation across sectors such as steel, electronics, propulsion systems, sensors, software and precision engineering, while generating employment and supporting economic growth.
He highlighted government initiatives, including the Maritime India Vision 2030, the Maritime Development Fund, the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme and the Shipbuilding Development Scheme, aimed at making India a global hub for shipbuilding and maritime defence innovation.
Calling upon young entrepreneurs, engineers, researchers and innovators to contribute to India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem, Singh urged them to develop cutting-edge technologies that would shape the future of warfare and strengthen the country’s self-reliance.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan described INS Mahendragiri as a symbol of India’s expanding maritime capability and technological self-reliance.
He said the commissioning of the sixth Project 17A frigate significantly enhances the Navy’s operational strength while setting new benchmarks in indigenous shipbuilding. According to the Navy Chief, the time taken from launch to delivery has been reduced by nearly 50 per cent—from 63 months to 31 months—while the overall construction period has come down from 95 months to 75 months. He also noted that all technical evaluations were completed during a single sea trial instead of the conventional five to seven trials.
Named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats, INS Mahendragiri carries the motto “Mighty, Majestic, Matchless.” Built with contributions from over 200 Indian industries, including numerous MSMEs, the stealth frigate is expected to significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s maritime combat capability and operational reach in the Indian Ocean Region as part of the Eastern Fleet.
