Visakhapatnam: The indigenously-built advanced stealth frigate INS Mahendragiri was inducted into the Navy on Saturday in a ceremony presided over by defence minister Rajnath Singh.
The frigate gets its name from the Mahendragiri mountain in the Rayagada block of the Gajapati district of Odisha. It is situated at an elevation of 1,501 metres (4,925 feet) amongst the Eastern Ghats. It is the second highest motorable mountain and the eighth highest peak in the state.
The commissioning ceremony was held at Visakhapatnam and the warship will join the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet.
In his address, Singh described this frontline warship as a reflection of India’s growing self-reliance in shipbuilding, underpinned by exceptional design capabilities, manufacturing excellence, the rapid growth of the naval-industrial ecosystem, and its ability to deliver state-of-the-art platforms in a timely manner.
INS Mahendragiri is the sixth Project 17A indigenous stealth frigate to be inducted into the Indian Navy in a span of just one-and-a-half years. The first ship of the series, INS Nilgiri, was commissioned in January 2025, followed by INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri in August, INS Taragiri in April this year and INS Dunagiri last month.
Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, Kolkata, these ships are capable of undertaking the full spectrum of maritime operations, including fleet air defence, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction, surveillance and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).
With over 75 percent indigenous content, these
warships have a displacement of about 6,670 tonnes and the capability to reach speeds of up to 28 knots. They are armed with supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, anti-submarine warfare capabilities and an embarked multi-role helicopter, as well as advanced stealth features, modern sensors, network-centric combat systems and state-of-the-art weapon suites.
“INS Mahendragiri can be equipped with the BrahMos surface-to-surface missile, one of the world’s fastest and most lethal cruise missiles. It also features a combination of multifunction radar and surface-to-air missiles capable of detecting and neutralising aerial threats at extended ranges. Its arsenal also includes an indigenous rocket launcher, torpedo launchers, an Integrated Anti-Submarine Defence System, an Electronic Warfare suite and a Close-In Weapon System. All these capabilities make the warship formidable and resilient,” the defence minister said, exuding confidence that the “blue-water ship” will safeguard India’s maritime interests not just near the coast but far out in the deep oceans as well.
Singh emphasised that while emerging technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, space-based capabilities, hypersonic weapons and unmanned systems have significantly transformed the nature of warfare, conventional military capabilities continue to form the bedrock of effective defence.
“Future wars may be fought with Artificial Intelligence, but they will still be won by national resolve, trained soldiers and credible military power,” he said while stressing that advanced technologies and conventional platforms complement one another rather than act as competitors.
The defence minister referred to the Navy’s role during the West Asia conflict, stating that under Operation Urja Suraksha, it safely escorted 18 merchant vessels carrying essential cargo valued at over Rs 9,000 crore.
These efforts, Singh said, reflect the Navy’s role not only as a fighting force but also as a key protector of India’s economic interests. He expressed confidence that INS Mahendragiri will further strengthen this overall maritime strategy, as it will enhance the strength of the eastern seaboard, extend India’s blue-water reach, and further consolidate its presence in the Indian Ocean Region.