India’s Navy Commissions INS Mahendragiri, Boost To Indigenous Defence Manufact ...
India commissioned its latest indigenous stealth-guided missile frigate, INS Mahendragiri, into the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam on Saturday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the sixth Project 17A frigate into active service.The warship has been built with a high level of inland content and is designed to enhance India's maritime security, boost combat readiness and support the government's push towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
Native Shipbuilding Gains Momentum
INS Mahendragiri belongs to the Project 17A programme under which advanced stealth frigates are being constructed at Indian ship decks employing modern construction techniques. The project is one of the largest indigenous naval shipbuilding projects in India and shows continued investment in domestic defence production.
The frigate has been designed by the Warship Design Bureau of the Indian Navy and constructed with more than 75 per cent indigenous content. The programme has created opportunities for Indian public and private sector companies engaged in shipbuilding, engineering, electronics and manufacture of defence equipment.
The induction also fits in with the government’s broader objective to reduce reliance on imported military platforms while boosting India’s indigenous industrial base.
Advanced Capabilities Strengthen Maritime Security
INS Mahendragiri incorporates advanced stealth technology, which reduces its radar signals, making it difficult to detect during operations. The warship is combat ready and is armed with modern weapons, including BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for long-range strikes and Barak-8 surface-to-air missile systems for air defence. It also has upgraded sensors, advanced combat management systems and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
The frigate has the capability to undertake anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine operations, enabling it to undertake a wide range of missions in the Indian Ocean Region. It can also support maritime surveillance, escort, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.
India is modernising its naval fleet amid intensifying strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region. The induction comes as Defence experts feel that the induction of indigenous warships such as INS Mahendragiri is an important step towards enhancing operational readiness and strengthening India’s position as a regional maritime power.
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