
A significant milestone in the nation’s defence indigenization strategy will be reached on September 1 with the launch of India’s newest warship, Mahendragiri, at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai, according to the defence ministry.
The seventh ship of the Project 17A Frigates is called Mahendragiri, after a high peak in the Eastern Ghats in the state of Odisha. The Project 17 Class Frigates (Shivalik Class) were followed by these warships, which had platform management systems, better stealth features, and cutting-edge armaments and sensors.
The recently christened Mahendragiri is a technologically cutting-edge warship and represents India’s resolve to honour its historic naval legacy while advancing towards a future of homegrown military capabilities, the ministry said.
Four ships by M/s MDL and three ships by M/s GRSE are now being built as part of Project 17A. MDL & GRSE have already deployed the first six ships of the project between 2019 and 2023.
The Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, the pioneer organisation for all warship design efforts, reportedly designed Project 17A ships internally. A significant 75% of the orders for the equipment and systems of Project 17A ships have been placed with domestic companies, including Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs), in keeping with the nation’s unwavering commitment to “Aatma Nirbharata.”
“The launch of Mahendragiri is an apt testament to the incredible progress our nation has made in building a self-reliant naval force,” it continued.