Navy to Commission Stealth Frigate Mahendragiri

The Indian Navy is set to commission Mahendragiri (F38), the sixth stealth frigate under the indigenous Project 17A Nilgiri-class programme, at Visakhapatnam on July 11, marking another milestone in the country’s naval modernisation.

Named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats, the warship was designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). It incorporates advanced stealth features, enhanced survivability, a reduced radar signature, and a high degree of automation.

Powered by a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system, Mahendragiri is designed for high-speed operations and long-endurance deployments across a wide range of maritime missions.

The warship has more than 75 per cent indigenous content and is equipped with an advanced suite of indigenously developed weapons and sensors, including surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile systems, anti-submarine warfare systems, electronic warfare capabilities, and an integrated combat management system.

More than 200 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) contributed to the construction of the vessel, generating direct employment for about 4,000 personnel and indirect employment for more than 10,000 others.

Mahendragiri is capable of carrying out anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine operations. It is also equipped to undertake maritime security, power projection, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), search and rescue, and sustained maritime presence missions.

The commissioning of Mahendragiri marks another significant milestone in the execution of the Project 17A programme. As more frigates of the class join the fleet, they are expected to further strengthen the Indian Navy’s operational capability and enhance India’s maritime security posture in the Indian Ocean Region.