Mahendragiri, India’s latest warship, will be launched at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai on September 1, boosting the country’s defence self-reliance initiative, the Defence Ministry said.
The wife of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Sudesh Dhankhar, will launch India’s latest warship which will provide a boost to the Indian Navy’s capabilities.
The warship Mahendragiri which is named after a mountain peak in Eastern Ghats in Odisha is the seventh ship of the Project 17A Frigates.
"The newly christened Mahendragiri is a technologically advanced warship and stands as a symbol of India's determination to embrace its rich naval heritage, while propelling itself towards a future of indigenous defence capabilities," the ministry said.
Under the Project, fou warships by M/s MDL and three ships by M/s GRSE are being built. The MDL and GRSE have launched the first six ships between 2019 and 2023.
According to the Ministry, Project 17A ships have been designed in-house by Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, the pioneer organisation for all warship design activities. Aligning with the country's resolute commitment to 'Aatma Nirbharata', a substantial 75% of the orders for equipment and systems of Project 17A ships have been ordered on indigenous firms, including Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The launch of Mahendragiri is an apt testament to the incredible progress our Nation has made in building a self-reliant naval force.
The launch of the warship marks a significant milestone in its construction.
Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu launched Vindhyagiri, the sixth warship of Project 17A, at GRSE on August 17.
“The launch of Mahendragiri is an apt testament to the incredible progress our nation has made in building a self-reliant naval force,” a Navy statement said.
The warship has improved stealth features, advanced sensors and weapons and platform management systems.
Nearly 75 per cent of the equipment used in the construction of the warship was ordered from indigenous firms including MSMEs which is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ vision.
