INS Mahendragiri to be commissioned into Eastern Fleet on July 11

The Indian Navy will commission INS Mahendragiri (F38), the sixth stealth frigate built under the indigenous Project 17A programme, into its Eastern Fleet at Visakhapatnam on July 11. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will preside over the commissioning ceremony.

Designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, INS Mahendragiri is the latest of the seven Project 17A stealth frigates being built for the Navy. The programme aims to enhance the Navy’s surface combat capabilities through advanced, indigenously designed warships.

According to the Navy, the frigate incorporates advanced stealth features, a reduced radar signature, enhanced survivability, and a high degree of automation. It is equipped with indigenous weapons, sensors, and electronic warfare systems, enabling it to undertake anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare operations.

The Navy said the ship has over 75% indigenous content, with its construction involving a large number of Indian industries, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), in line with the government’s push for self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

In addition to combat operations, the frigate is capable of undertaking maritime security missions, search and rescue operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) missions, and sustained deployments across the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.

Named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats, the vessel is the first Indian Naval ship to bear the name.

The commissioning of INS Mahendragiri is expected to strengthen the Navy’s operational capability and marks another milestone in India’s indigenous warship-building programme as the country continues to expand its domestic defence manufacturing capacity.