New Stealth Frigate INS Mahendragiri has been inducted into the Indian Navy with fully indigenous technology. The warship, capable of carrying supersonic Brahmos cruise missiles, will further enhance the capabilities of the Eastern Fleet, India said.
The warship was formally inducted into the fleet at a ceremony held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on Saturday. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on the occasion that INS Mahendragiri can be equipped with the supersonic Brahmos cruise missile, known as one of the fastest and most lethal weapons systems in the world. According to him, this state-of-the-art stealth frigate is an important addition to strengthening India’s maritime defense capabilities.
He said, the warship has a multi-purpose radar integrated with medium-range surface-to-air missiles; which can detect and neutralize long-range air threats.
The warship’s weapons package also includes proprietary technology rocket launchers, torpedo launchers, integrated anti-submarine warfare systems, electronic warfare suites and a close-in weapon system.
Rajnath said, this frigate is India’s coastline and deep sea; Both regions will strengthen their ability to protect their own maritime interests. Pointing to the changing nature of warfare, he said emerging technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence (AI), cyber warfare, space-based capabilities, hypersonic weapons and unmanned systems are changing the pattern of modern conflict.
However, conventional military power still remains the mainstay of effective defense, he said. Stating that advanced technology and conventional platforms are not substitutes for each other, but complements, Rajnath said, future wars may be fought with artificial intelligence. But it must be won through national determination, trained soldiers and reliable military power.
INS Mahendragiri is the sixth stealth frigate of its own technology to be inducted into the Indian Navy in the last 18 months. The first ship of this class ‘INS Nilgiri’ was commissioned into the Navy in January 2025.
Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, Mumbai, the frigate is capable of conducting a wide range of maritime missions including fleet air defence, surface and anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction and surveillance.
Made of more than 75 percent indigenous materials, this warship is capable of carrying multirole helicopters. It is equipped with advanced stealth features, advanced sensors, network-centric warfare systems and sophisticated weaponry; which further strengthened India’s domestically developed naval capabilities.
TimesBD/ rabbi
