INS Mahendragiri: Sixth Indigenous Stealth Frigate Joins Navy, Marking Shipbuilding Milestone

The Indian Navy commissioned INS Mahendragiri, an indigenously built advanced stealth frigate, into its Eastern Fleet during a ceremony in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, July 11, 2025. Navy Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan described the warship as a symbol of India’s growing maritime capability and technological self-reliance.

The commissioning is significant as it marks the induction of the sixth indigenous stealth frigate from the Navy’s Project 17A within just one-and-a-half years. Since January 2025, six of the seven Project 17A frigates have been commissioned, including INS Mahendragiri. The seventh and final frigate, INS Vindhyagiri, is expected to be commissioned later this year.

What is INS Mahendragiri?

INS Mahendragiri is built with over 75% indigenous content, has a displacement of approximately 6,670 tonnes, and can reach speeds of up to 28 knots. It is equipped with BrahMos supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, multifunction radar, and medium-range surface-to-air missiles capable of detecting and engaging aerial threats at extended ranges. The frigate also features anti-submarine warfare capabilities, including an indigenous rocket launcher, torpedo launchers, an Integrated Anti-Submarine Defence System, an Electronic Warfare suite, and a Close-In Weapon System for short-range threats. It can also embark a multi-role helicopter.

The warship incorporates advanced stealth features, modern sensors, network-centric combat systems, and state-of-the-art weapon suites. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking at the commissioning ceremony, said, “All these capabilities make the warship formidable and resilient.” The frigate is named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats and was built with contributions from over 200 Indian industries, including numerous Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

What is Project 17A?

Project 17A frigates are versatile multi-mission platforms designed to address current and future challenges in the maritime domain, including threats from adversarial submarines in deep-sea environments. They were designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team (Kolkata). According to the Navy, these frigates represent a generational leap in indigenous ship design, stealth, survivability, and combat capability compared to the earlier Project 17 (Shivalik) class.

The warships are configured with Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plants, comprising a diesel engine and a gas turbine driving a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) on each shaft, along with an Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS). Their weapons and sensor suite includes the advanced MF-STAR (Multi-Function Surveillance, Track And Guidance Radar) system, a Medium Range Surface to Air Missile complex, a 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM), and a combination of 30 mm and 12.7 mm close-in weapon systems.

What has driven the quick commissioning?

The learnings from constructing the first four Project 17A ships have enabled a compression of the construction timeline for the subsequent three ships. INS Nilgiri was commissioned in January 2025 as the first of the class, followed by INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri in August. INS Taragiri was commissioned in April, INS Dunagiri in June, and INS Mahendragiri in July. By the end of the year, a few more ships are expected to be commissioned.

Officials told The Indian Express that the successful progress of naval projects is due to several factors at both the planning and execution stages. The Navy has received consistent support from the government and industry, facilitating timely deliveries. Over the past two years, the Indian Navy has commissioned several warships, showcasing India’s growing prowess in indigenous shipbuilding.