The Indian Navy is not just a fighting force but also a key protector of the country’s economic interests, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday, citing its key role during the conflict in West Asia when it escorted 18 merchant ships carrying cargo worth more than 100 vessels. $ 9,000 crore under Operation Urja Suraksha.
“Recent events have once again proven how important it is for any nation to have a capable and responsive navy… From maritime security to economic security, the Indian Navy is the trusted force in the entire Indo-Pacific region,” Singh said in Visakhapatnam. The comments came as the Navy commissioned its latest stealth frigate, INS Mahendragiri, to bolster its presence in the Indian Ocean region and the wider Indo-Pacific region as China continues to expand its maritime reach.
“INS Mahendragiri will strengthen the East Coast, expand India’s blue water reach and strengthen its presence in the Indian Ocean region,” he said.
The sixth of seven ghost frigates under $A Rs 45,000-crore Project 17A, the warship is named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats. Navy Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan described the new warship as a symbol of India’s growing naval capability and technological self-reliance, adding that its commissioning represents another milestone in indigenous warship construction. “INS Mahendragiri will enhance our combat readiness and contribute significantly to the protection of Indian maritime interests,” he said.
The last P-17A frigate, Vindhyagiri, will be commissioned later this year. The Nilgiri, Udaygiri, Taragiri and Mahendragiri were built at Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), while Himgiri and Dunagiri were built at Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), where Vindhyagiri is being constructed.
The P-17A (or Nilgiri class) platforms reflect India’s advanced warship building capabilities, feature 75% indigenous content and are equipped with advanced weapons, sensors and systems designed to dominate the maritime battlefield. The successor to the Shivalik-class stealth frigates (P-17), the P-17A represents a major leap forward in warship design and capabilities.
The Navy Commander said that besides achieving more than 75% local content, MDL and the Navy have set several new standards in this project. “The timeframe from launch to delivery was reduced by approximately 50%, from 63 months to 31 months. The total construction time was reduced by 20%, from 95 months to 75 months. Instead of the usual five to seven sea trials, all technical analyzes were completed in just one sea trial,” Swaminathan added.
The Defense Ministry said the P-17A frigates are equipped with modern weapons, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
