The Indian Navy inducted the indigenously-built advanced stealth frigate ‘INS Mahendragiri’ into its Eastern Fleet during a ceremony presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on July 11, 2026.
‘INS Mahendragiri’ is the sixth Project 17A indigenous stealth frigate to be inducted into the Indian Navy in a span of just 1.5 years.
The first ship of the series ‘INS Nilgiri’ was commissioned in January 2025, followed by ‘INS Udaygiri’ & ‘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, the ship is 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 & disaster relief (HADR).
The warship, with over 75 percent indigenous content, has a displacement of approximately 6,670 tonnes and the capability to reach speeds of up to 28 knots.
It is equipped 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,” said Rajnath Singh.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan termed INS Mahendragiri as a symbol of India’s growing maritime capability and technological self-reliance.
He stated that the commissioning of the sixth Project 17A frigate marks another milestone in indigenous warship construction, significantly enhancing the Indian Navy’s operational capability.
He reaffirmed that the Indian Navy remains a combat-ready, credible, cohesive and future-ready force.
The Chief of the Naval Staff added that alongside achieving over 75% indigenous content, MDL and the Navy have set several new benchmarks in this project, including reduction of the timeframe from launch to delivery by approximately 50%, dropping from 63 months to 31 months.
He further stated that the total construction time has decreased by approx. 20%, falling from 95 months to 75 months, and all technical analyses have been completed in just a single sea trial instead of the usual five to seven sea trials.
These achievements, he said, reflect the collaborative efforts of MDL, Indian manufacturers, MSMEs, the Warship Overseeing Team, trial agencies, and the crew.
Named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats, INS Mahendragiri symbolises strength, steadfastness and indomitable resolve, and bears the motto ‘Mighty, Majestic, Matchless’
