Curtain raiser of launch of Y-12654

Visakhapatnam: Mahendragiri, the last Project 17A Frigate, will be launched by Dr. Sudesh Dhankhar, wife of Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai on September 1.

Mahendragiri, named after a mountain peak in Eastern Ghats located in Odisha, 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 that 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 programme, a total of four ships by MDL and three ships by 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 the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, the pioneer organisation for all warship designing activities. In alignment with the country's resolute commitment to 'Atma Nirbharta', a substantial 75 percent of the orders for equipment and systems of Project 17A ships have been ordered from indigenous firms, including Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

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