India’s maritime strength received a major boost as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned the stealth frigate INS Mahendragiri at the Visakhapatnam Naval Dockyard on Saturday.
Singh described Andhra Pradesh as a “new powerhouse of India’s defence and aerospace manufacturing,” congratulating the crew and shipbuilders for their role in advancing indigenous warship construction under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
INS Mahendragiri, the sixth indigenous stealth frigate under Project 17A and the fourth built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), joins the Navy’s Eastern Fleet. With over 75 per cent indigenous content, the vessel showcases India’s growing defence manufacturing capability.
The warship can respond simultaneously to threats from air, sea, and underwater domains and can be equipped with the BrahMos surface‑to‑surface missile. Singh highlighted the ship’s crest—a Goshawk perched on Mahendragiri mountain—symbolising sharp vision, patience, and decisive action, qualities essential for modern naval operations.
Navy Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan noted that Mahendragiri is the sixth of seven Project 17A warships, named after the historic Mahendragiri Hills in Odisha, continuing the legacy of the Nilgiri‑class frigates that served the nation from 1972 to 2013.
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