Indian Navy Set To Commission Indigenous Stealth Frigate INS Mahendragiri

India will commission the indigenous stealth frigate INS Mahendragiri (F38) on July 11 at Visakhapatnam, adding another advanced warship to the Indian Navy as it continues to modernise its fleet with locally built vessels.

The commissioning ceremony will be attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, INS Mahendragiri is the sixth stealth frigate under the Project 17A programme.

The warship joins the fleet just weeks after the commissioning of INS Dunagiri, the fifth Nilgiri-class frigate, continuing the Navy’s induction of next-generation indigenous warships.

INS Mahendragiri is designed to carry out anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions. It can also be deployed for maritime security operations, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), power projection and long-duration operational deployments.

The frigate is equipped with an advanced range of indigenous weapons and sensors, including surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile systems, electronic warfare systems, anti-submarine warfare equipment and an integrated Combat Management System.

Its main weapons include BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for long-range strikes and Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles for air defence.

It also carries advanced torpedoes, rocket launchers and AK-630 close-in weapon systems, enabling it to respond to threats in the air, on the sea and underwater.

INS Mahendragiri is 149 metres long, displaces around 6,670 tonnes and can reach a top speed of about 28 knots. It is powered by a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system, allowing it to operate at high speeds while maintaining long endurance during missions.

According to the Indian Navy, the frigate has advanced stealth features that reduce its radar signature, improving its survivability during operations. It also has a high level of automation to support efficient operations.

The warship is named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats and is the first Indian naval vessel to carry the name.

INS Mahendragiri is one of seven Nilgiri-class guided missile frigates being built under Project 17A, one of India’s largest indigenous warship-building programmes.

Four ships are being built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, while the remaining three are under construction at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).

The project has achieved more than 75% indigenous content, showing India’s efforts to expand domestic defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

According to the Navy, construction of the frigate involved a large network of Indian industries, including more than 200 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The programme has generated direct employment for around 4,000 people and indirect jobs for more than 10,000 others.

INS Mahendragiri was delivered to the Indian Navy on April 30, about 17 months after the delivery of the lead ship, INS Nilgiri, in December 2024. The shorter delivery timeline reflects improved efficiency in India’s naval shipbuilding programme.

Project 17A ships are designed as an upgrade to the earlier Project 17 Shivalik-class frigates, with improved stealth features, more advanced weapons and sensors, and greater automation.

References: Firstpost, The Hindu