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Indian Navy Set to Commission INS Mahendragiri, Sixth Indigenous Project 17a Stealth Frigate
The sixth Nilgiri-class frigate has over 75% indigenous content and is described by the Navy as combat ready.
On Saturday, July 11, 2026, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned the indigenous stealth frigate INS Mahendragiri into the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam.
Constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai, the warship features over 75% indigenous content, exemplifying the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and the growing capability of India's domestic shipbuilding ecosystem.
Incorporating advanced stealth features and a modern Combined Diesel or Gas propulsion system, the frigate is a "mission primed combat platform" equipped with sophisticated missile systems and an integrated Combat Management System.
With over 90% of India's trade transiting maritime routes, the vessel bolsters efforts to safeguard the Indian Ocean Region, which Singh described as "our courtyard" requiring constant vigilance against "extra-regional powers."
Addressing naval personnel, Singh reaffirmed that India stands as the "primary guarantor of peace and stability" in the Indian Ocean Region while urging forces to remain prepared for the evolving character of modern warfare.