Mahendragiri: India’s New Stealth Frigate to Boost Navy’s Indo-Pacific Reach

The Indian Navy is set to commission its sixth indigenous Project 17A stealth frigate, Mahendragiri (F38), at Visakhapatnam on July 11. This marks another major milestone in India’s indigenous warship-building programme.

Mahendragiri was designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai. The advanced multi-role frigate will significantly enhance operational capabilities across the Indo-Pacific while reinforcing the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the Navy said.

Named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats, the warship is the first Indian naval vessel to bear this name. The frigate symbolises resilience, strength and unwavering resolve, and is set to carry forward a distinguished legacy in India’s maritime history.

Equipped with advanced stealth features, reduced radar signature, enhanced survivability and a high degree of automation, Mahendragiri is powered by a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system. This enables sustained high-speed operations and long-range deployments across the full spectrum of maritime missions.

With more than 75% indigenous content, the warship is a major boost to the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Its construction involved a wide network of Indian industries, including numerous micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), strengthening the domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem and generating employment.

The stealth frigate carries an advanced suite of indigenous weapons and sensors, including surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile systems, electronic warfare systems, anti-submarine warfare capabilities, and an integrated Combat Management System. It is designed to undertake anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine operations, as well as maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, search and rescue, and sustained presence missions.

India is steadily expanding its role as the preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean Region. Mahendragiri will strengthen the Indian Navy’s ability to safeguard the nation’s maritime interests while contributing to a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Carrying the motto “Mighty – Majestic – Matchless,” the mission-ready warship will serve the nation with distinction and further enhance the Navy’s operational capability.