Mahendragiri: Sudesh Dhankhar, the wife of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, will unveil India’s newest warship, Mahendragiri, at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai on September 1 in a move that will strengthen the navy’s capabilities, the Indian Navy announced in a statement. Mahendragiri is the seventh and last stealth frigate of Project 17A; under the project, four warships are being built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, and the other warships at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.
Understanding the Importance of a Warship’s Launch and Its Implications
A warship’s launch refers to its first time in the water and is an important development milestone for the ship. Earlier, on August 17, President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated Vindhyagiri at GRSE, the sixth warship of Project 17A. “The launch of Mahendragiri is an apt testament to the incredible progress our nation has made in building a self-reliant naval force,” the statement said.
Project 17A Frigates and their Role in India’s Naval Defense Strategy
A follow-up to the Project 17 (Shivalik class) frigates, the Project 17A frigates include enhanced stealth features, cutting-edge weapons and sensors, and platform management systems. The first five Project 17A warships were launched between 2019 and 22. The most recent launch occurs at a time when the government places a high importance on national defence independence and when the power balance in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is shifting as a result of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army-Navy’s (PLAN) concerted attempts to expand its presence. All of the Project 17A warships are now under development and should be delivered to the navy between 2024 and 2026.
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