Indian Navy receives ‘Mahendragiri’, sixth Nilgiri-class stealth frigate built under Project 17A

New Delhi, May 1. The Indian Navy on April 30 took delivery of Mahendragiri, the sixth stealth frigate under the Nilgiri-class (Project 17A), at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited. The warship is the fourth Project 17A vessel constructed at the Mumbai-based shipyard.

The delivery marks a key milestone in India’s push for self-reliance in warship design and construction, showcasing significant advances in indigenous naval engineering and shipbuilding capability.

Project 17A frigates are designed as multi-mission platforms capable of addressing both current and emerging maritime challenges. Compared to the earlier Shivalik-class frigate, the new generation frigates feature notable improvements in stealth, survivability, automation, and combat capability.

According to statement issued by the Ministry of Defence on May 1, the ships have been designed by the Warship Design Bureau and construction was overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team (Mumbai). Built on the philosophy of integrated construction, Mahendragiri was delivered within the planned timelines.

Equipped with an advanced suite of weapons and sensors for anti-surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare, the frigate is powered by a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system. This includes a diesel engine and a gas turbine driving controllable pitch propellers on each shaft, supported by a modern Integrated Platform Management System.

Mahendragiri is the sixth Project 17A ship delivered to the Navy within 17 months of the first ship of the class, Nilgiri, which was handed over by MDSL in December 2024.

With an indigenous content of around 75 percent, the project has involved more than 200 MSMEs and generated employment for nearly 4,000 people directly and over 10,000 indirectly, underlining the Navy’s continued focus on self-reliance in ship design and construction.