INDIA. Mumbai: “Mahendragiri”, the seventh and last stealth frigate of Project 17A, was launched at the hands of Dr (Smt.) Sudesh Dhankhar, wife of Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar, at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), located in South Mumbai on Friday.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was the chief guest at the launch ceremony, said that it was befitting that the launch took place in a vibrant city like Mumbai.
“I am sure that Mahendragiri, once commissioned, will proudly fly the national tricolour flag across the oceans as an ambassador of India’s maritime might. I congratulate our force with full confidence. They will continue improving themselves for the security of the world at large. With a strong presence of over 10,000 women across the army, navy and air force, the Indian armed forces have made considerable strides in gender equality,” he added.
Mahendragiri has been named after a mountain peak in Eastern Ghats located in Orissa. 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.
It is a technologically advanced warship and stands as a symbol of India’s determination to embrace its rich naval heritage while propelling itself towards a future of indigenous defence capabilities, an official statement read. The frigate is expected to be commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2027.
The vertical launch and long-range surface-to-air missile system will be the focal point of Mahendragiri’s air defence capacity, which is intended to counter the danger of hostile aircraft and anti-ship cruise missiles.
The ship will be equipped with two 30 mm rapid-fire guns for close-in defence, and an SRGM Gun (Super Rapid Gun Mount) will allow her to deliver powerful naval gunfire support. Mahendragiri’s anti-submarine capacity will be strengthened by triple-tube lightweight torpedo launchers and rocket launchers made in India.
A total of four ships are being built under the Project 17A programme by M/s MDL and three ships are being built by M/s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata (West Bengal). MDL and GRSE have already launched the project’s first six ships between 2019 and 2023.
The Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, a pioneering organisation for all warship design efforts, created the 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 dedication to “‘AatmaNirbharata” (self-reliance).
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