Indian Navy’s last Project 17A frigate launched

Mahendragiri, the Indian Navy’s last Project 17A frigate, was launched today at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai.

ahendragiri, named after a mountain peak in the 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,” the navy stated.

Under the Project 17A program, a total of four ships by MDL and three ships by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) are under construction. The first six ships of the project have been launched so far by MDL and GRSE, between 2019 and 2023.

Project 17A ships have been designed in-house by Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, India’s organization for all warship design activities.

Two weeks ago, the 6th Project 17A frigate Vindhyagiri was launched at GRSE in Kolkata.