What INS Mahendragiri's commissioning shows about India's naval shipbuilding prowess
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500+ questions on Current Affairs & GK with explanations
📌 Summary:
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Indian Navy commissioned indigenously built advanced stealth frigate INS Mahendragiri into the Eastern Fleet at Visakhapatnam on July 11 — the sixth Project 17A frigate inducted in just one-and-a-half years (since Jan 2025); the seventh and last, INS Vindhyagiri, is expected this year
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Over 75% indigenous content; displacement ~6,670 tonnes; speed up to 28 knots; built with contributions from 200+ Indian industries including numerous MSMEs
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Weapons/sensors: BrahMos supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, MF-STAR multifunction radar with medium-range surface-to-air missiles, 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mount, Integrated Anti-Submarine Defence System, torpedo launchers, Electronic Warfare suite, Close-In Weapon Systems and an embarked multi-role helicopter
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Configured with CODOG (Combined Diesel or Gas) propulsion driving Controllable Pitch Propellers, plus an Integrated Platform Management System; designed by Warship Design Bureau — a generational leap over the earlier Project 17 (Shivalik) class
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P17A sequence: INS Nilgiri (Jan 2025), Udaygiri & Himgiri (Aug 2025), Taragiri (Apr 2026), Dunagiri (Jun 2026), Mahendragiri (Jul 2026)
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From Dec 2024 to date the Navy has commissioned 18 warships, with 8 more expected this year — enabled by timely Acceptances of Necessity (AoNs) from the Defence Acquisition Council, which also cleared Project 15B destroyers, Survey Vessel (Large) and ASW Shallow Water Craft projects
🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 Internal/Maritime Security & defence indigenisation — Atmanirbhar Bharat in warship building, Indian Ocean maritime capability, MSME participation in defence manufacturing
📝 Prelims Facts:
- INS Mahendragiri is the 6th Project 17A stealth frigate; named after the Mahendragiri range in the Eastern Ghats
- Project 17A is the follow-on to Project 17 (Shivalik class); designed by the Warship Design Bureau
- Defence Acquisition Council (headed by Defence Minister) grants Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) — in-principle approval for capital acquisitions
🔑 Key Term: Project 17A — a series of seven indigenously designed advanced stealth frigates with CODOG propulsion and network-centric combat systems, a generational leap over the Shivalik class.
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