INS Mahendragiri included in Navy, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said- Big achievement in India’s defense sector

This warship was named after the Mahendragiri mountain range of the Eastern Ghats.

Visakhapatnam. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday commissioned the sixth indigenous stealth warship ‘Mahendragiri’ built under ‘Project 17A’ into the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy. This is another important achievement in India’s journey of self-reliance in the defense sector and indigenous warship construction. Senior naval officers and other dignitaries were present at the ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard in the port city.

Addressing a function organized at the Eastern Naval Command, Rajnath Singh said, INS Mahendragiri can effectively counter threats from the air, enemy ships on the surface of the sea and submarines under the sea. He said, as a ‘blue-water’ warship, it can protect India’s maritime interests by being deployed continuously for several weeks not only near the coast, but also in remote and deep sea areas.

Congratulating the crew of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Indian Navy, INS Mahendragiri and the countrymen, Singh said the warship reflects India’s growing defense manufacturing capability and its commitment towards ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

INS Mahendragiri, with a gross weight of about 6,670 tonnes and a maximum speed of 28 knots (about 52 kilometers per hour), is a multi-role stealth warship, capable of carrying out multiple missions at sea. This includes advanced stealth features, better ability to withstand attacks and survive in combat, low visibility on radar and high level of automated systems.

The Union Minister said that more than 75 percent indigenous material and equipment has been used in this warship. It reflects India’s design capability, manufacturing excellence and the country’s strengthening defense ecosystem. INS Mahendragiri can be equipped with the BrahMos surface-to-surface missile, which is among the fastest and deadliest cruise missiles in the world.

The warship is also equipped with multi-role radar, long-range surface-to-air missile system, indigenous rocket launchers, torpedo launchers, integrated anti-submarine defense system, electronic warfare systems and close range weapon systems.

Rajnath Singh said that this warship can effectively carry out air, surface and anti-submarine operations. Additionally, it is capable of undertaking missions such as maritime security missions, search and rescue operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations and long-term deployment to the Indian Ocean region and beyond. This warship has been named after the Mahendragiri mountain range of the Eastern Ghats. This is the first ship of the Indian Navy to be named ‘Mahendragiri’.

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