At sea: On the Indian Navy's Project 17A

📌 Summary:

• Project 17A is a ₹45,000-crore programme to build seven 'Nilgiri'-class frigates with anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine capabilities
• INS Mahendragiri delivered on April 30, 2026 — sixth delivery completed; six frigates delivered in just 17 months
• Project 17A is positioned as an advanced complement to the 'Shivalik'-class frigates and a precursor to the future Project 17B
• Repeated delays plagued earlier warship classes: CAG flagged that ships were declared "commissioned" while still lacking critical components like engines and sensors — commissioning on paper, not in combat readiness
• 2025 CAG report found that the Navy was inducting platforms without building supporting infrastructure (dockyards, maintenance facilities)
• 75% indigenous components by value — but critical systems such as propulsion engines and sensors are imported, creating strategic vulnerability
• Design changes during construction (hundreds flagged in earlier classes) caused significant time and cost overruns
• Editorial calls for: stricter project management with binding timelines; genuine indigenisation of critical sub-systems; matching infrastructure buildup with platform induction
• Issue reflects a broader systemic problem: procurement/commissioning metrics celebrated publicly without ensuring operational readiness