New Delhi: Mahendragiri, the last Project 17A Frigate, will be launched by Dr Sudesh Dhankhar, wife of Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai on September 1. The launch of India’s latest warship, Mahendragiri marks a major step in the country’s defence indigenisation programme. A warship’s launch marks a significant milestone in its construction and refers to the vessel entering the water for the first time.

Mahendragiri, named after a mountain peak in Eastern Ghats located in the state of Orissa, is the seventh ship of the Project 17A Frigates. These warships are follow-ons of the Project 17 Class Frigates (Shivalik Class), with improved stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management systems. The newly christened Mahendragiri 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.

Under the Project 17A program, a total of four ships by at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL)and three ships by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) are under construction. The first six ships of the project have been launched so far by MDL and GRSE, between 2019-2023. All Project 17A warships are currently in different stages of construction and are expected to be delivered to the navy during 2024-26.

Project 17A ships have been designed in-house by Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, the pioneer organisation for all warship design activities. Aligning with the country’s resolute commitment to ‘Atmanirbharta’, a substantial 75% of the orders for equipment and systems of Project 17A ships have been ordered on indigenous firms, including Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The launch of Mahendragiri is an apt testament to the incredible progress our Nation has made in building a self-reliant naval force.