Sudesh Dhankhar, wife of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, will inaugurate India’s latest warship, enhancing the Indian Navy’s capabilities. Named after an Odisha mountain peak in the Eastern Ghats, Mahendragiri is the seventh vessel in the Project 17A Frigates series.
India’s most recent warship, Mahendragiri, will be unveiled on September 1 at Mumbai’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, contributing to the nation’s defense self-sufficiency drive, as per the Defense Ministry.
Sudesh Dhankhar, the spouse of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, will inaugurate India’s latest warship, enhancing the capabilities of the Indian Navy. This warship, named Mahendragiri after a mountain peak in Odisha’s Eastern Ghats, is the seventh vessel in the Project 17A Frigates series.
“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.
Within the Project, four warships are being constructed by M/s MDL, while M/s GRSE is building three ships. The initial six ships were launched jointly by MDL and GRSE from 2019 to 2023.
As per the Ministry’s statement, Project 17A ships have been internally designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, which is the primary organization for all warship design endeavors. In line with the nation’s strong commitment to ‘Aatma Nirbharata’ (self-reliance), a substantial 75% of equipment and systems orders for Project 17A ships have been placed with domestic companies, including Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The launch of Mahendragiri stands as a significant testament to the remarkable strides our country has made in establishing an independent naval force. The warship’s launch signifies a noteworthy achievement in its building process.
Previously, on August 17, President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated Vindhyagiri, the sixth vessel from Project 17A, at GRSE.
“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 incorporates enhanced stealth capabilities, advanced sensors, weaponry, and platform management systems.
Approximately 75% of the warship’s equipment was procured from domestic companies, including MSMEs, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.
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