Indian Navy inducts Mahendragiri: What is the new 'combat ready' stealth frigate

The Indian Navy on Saturday commissioned INS Mahendragiri, its latest indigenous stealth-guided missile frigate, into active service in Visakhapatnam, adding another advanced frontline warship to its growing fleet and further strengthening India's maritime combat capabilities in the strategically significant Indian Ocean Region.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned the sixth Project 17A (Nilgiri-class) frigate in the presence of senior naval leadership, including Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan. Built with more than 75 per cent indigenous content, the warship represents one of India's most sophisticated homegrown naval platforms and marks another milestone in the country's drive towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

Designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, INS Mahendragiri was delivered to the Navy on April 30.


Named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats, the frigate symbolises resilience, strength and unwavering resolve. It is the first Indian Naval warship to bear the name and is expected to further enhance the Navy's operational reach across the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.

With over 75 per cent indigenous content, the vessel showcases the success of the government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative while reflecting the growing capability of India's shipbuilding ecosystem. Its construction involved a large network of Indian industries, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), strengthening the domestic defence industrial base and generating employment.

What makes Mahendragiri a 'combat-ready' stealth frigate

INS Mahendragiri has been built as a multi-role frontline warship capable of operating across the full spectrum of naval warfare.

According to the Indian Navy, the frigate is equipped with an advanced suite of indigenous and state-of-the-art weapons, sensors and electronic warfare systems, including surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile systems, sophisticated anti-submarine warfare capabilities and an integrated combat management system.

The vessel is designed to undertake anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine operations, enabling it to engage threats across all three domains of naval warfare.

The warship also incorporates advanced stealth features that reduce its radar signature, making it significantly harder for adversaries to detect and track. Enhanced survivability measures and a high degree of onboard automation improve operational efficiency while reducing crew workload during combat missions.

Powering the frigate is a modern Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system, enabling high-speed operations alongside long-endurance deployments across diverse maritime missions.

Beyond combat roles, INS Mahendragiri is capable of maritime security operations, search and rescue missions, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), and sustained deployments across the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.

Why Mahendragiri matters for the Indian Navy

The induction of INS Mahendragiri comes as India continues expanding its naval capabilities amid increasing strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific and growing activity by extra-regional powers in the Indian Ocean.

The commissioning also marks another significant milestone in the Navy's Project 17A programme, under which a new generation of stealth frigates is replacing older platforms with more capable, network-centric warships. As more vessels of the class enter service, they are expected to significantly enhance the Navy's ability to maintain a sustained presence across the region while responding to conventional and emerging maritime threats.

Addressing the commissioning ceremony, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described INS Mahendragiri as a symbol of India's growing indigenous defence capability.

"This indigenously designed and constructed state-of-the-art warship is a testament to our Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision and the incredible capabilities of our domestic defence industries and MSMEs," he said.

Calling the frigate "combat-ready", Singh said it would "safeguard India's maritime interests and strengthen our resolve for a secure Indo-Pacific."

Speaking to naval personnel in Visakhapatnam, the Defence Minister also underlined India's role in ensuring stability across the region.

"India stands as the primary guarantor of peace and stability in the Indian Ocean Region," he said, while commending the Navy for protecting the country's maritime interests in an increasingly complex security environment.

Highlighting the changing nature of modern warfare, Singh urged the armed forces to continuously upgrade their capabilities.

"There are conflicts that are fought without a formal declaration of war. The adversary of tomorrow may not look like the adversary of the past," he said.

He assured the armed forces of continued government support, adding, "The government will leave no stone unturned to provide the soldiers with the world's best weaponry, technology and resources. But weapons alone do not win wars; it is the people who wield them that do."

The Defence Minister also pointed to increasing geopolitical competition and the growing presence of extra-regional powers in the Indian Ocean, saying the Navy was playing a critical role in protecting India's maritime borders, securing vital sea lanes and safeguarding national interests.

Describing India as the largest and most responsible stakeholder in the Indian Ocean Region, Singh said, "The region is our courtyard, and securing the courtyard is our responsibility."

A major upgrade over earlier frigates

Mahendragiri belongs to the Project 17A (Nilgiri-class) programme, which represents the next generation of Indian stealth frigates and is an evolution of the earlier Shivalik-class (Project 17) warships.

Compared with the previous class, the P17A frigates feature improved stealth characteristics, more advanced weapon and sensor suites, enhanced survivability and a higher degree of automation, enabling them to operate more effectively in high-threat environments.

The Navy describes the ships as mission-ready combat platforms capable of sustained deployments across a broad spectrum of maritime operations.

Mahendragiri joins a growing class of indigenous stealth frigates already entering service. INS Nilgiri, the lead ship of the class, was commissioned in January 2025, followed by INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri in August 2025, INS Taragiri in April this year and INS Dunagiri in June.