"Mahendragiri combat ready to safeguard India's maritime interests and strengthen our resolve for secure Indo-Pacific": Rajnath Singh
New Delhi, July 10
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said 'Mahendragiri', the indigenously designed and constructed state-of-the-art warship of the Indian Navy, is "combat-ready" to safeguard India's maritime interests. He will attend the warship's commissioning ceremony in Visakhapatnam tomorrow.
Singh reaches Visakhapatnam this evening. Naval Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan received him.
Earlier, in a post on X, Singh described the commissioning of the indigenously built warship as a proud moment for the country and the Indian Navy.
"Heading to Visakhapatnam to witness a proud moment for our nation and the Indian Navy, for the Commissioning Ceremony of the 6th Project 17A stealth frigate, Mahendragiri, on 11 July 2026," Singh wrote.
The Defence Minister said that an indigenously designed and constructed state-of-the-art warship is a testament to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.
"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," the post read.
He further said, "Mahendragiri is combat-ready to safeguard India's maritime interests and strengthen our resolve for a secure Indo-Pacific."
Named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats, the frigate symbolises resilience, strength and unwavering resolve. As the first Indian Naval warship to bear this name, Mahendragiri is truly sui generis. The warship is expected to build a distinguished legacy and add another chapter to India's maritime history.
Designed in-house by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, Mahendragiri is the sixth ship of the Project 17A class of stealth frigates. The vessel reflects India's growing expertise in indigenous warship design and construction.
The commissioning of Mahendragiri marks another significant milestone in the successful execution of the Project 17A programme. As successive frigates of the class join the fleet, they will continue to strengthen the Indian Navy's combat capability while reinforcing India's position as a leading indigenous warship-building nation.
— ANI
Reader Comments
What a proud moment for our country! Kuch log kehte hain India ka kuch nahi ho sakta, but these achievements prove them wrong. The Project 17A frigates are a huge step forward in naval strength. However, I do hope the government continues to focus on our fishermen's safety too, as they are often caught in cross-border maritime tensions.
Great news! As a retired Navy officer, I can attest that ships like Mahendragiri are the backbone of our maritime defence. The Indo-Pacific is a crucial region for our trade and security, and having such advanced stealth frigates ready for action is critical. The government's focus on indigenous defence manufacturing is long overdue but very welcome.
Amazing! But let's not forget that our Navy needs at least 200 ships to counter China effectively in the Indian Ocean. The Project 17A is good, but we need faster production and modernization. Aur kuch toh karo, yaar! 😅 But a big salute to the team at MDL and our Navy.
As an overseas Indian, I'm really impressed by this development. The Mahendragiri seems like a world-class frigate. But I'm cautious about the "combat-ready" claim—these ships often take years to fully operationalize. Still, it's a strong statement of intent from New Delhi towards the Indo-Pacific.
Such a beautiful name—Mahendragiri! The Eastern Ghats hold deep cultural significance, and naming a warship after a mountain range that symbolises
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.