A 6,670-tonne stealth frigate has just joined the Indian Navy—but INS Mahendragiri is far more than another warship. Built with over 75% indigenous content, it represents India’s rapidly maturing defence manufacturing ecosystem and its ambition to field a 200-ship Navy by 2035. Commissioned by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Visakhapatnam, Mahendragiri is the sixth Project 17A Nilgiri-class stealth frigate to enter service in just 18 months. Armed with BrahMos cruise missiles, Barak-8 air defence missiles, advanced anti-submarine warfare systems and stealth technology, it is designed for multi-domain combat across the Indo-Pacific. But the real story is the pace. India is no longer building one warship every few years—it is creating a production pipeline. With 45 vessels under construction and another 195 approved, is India finally becoming a true maritime power? Here’s why INS Mahendragiri could be a turning point for the Indian Navy.
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