President to launch Project 17A warship 'Vindhyagiri' today

President Draupadi Murmu, the Supreme Commander of the Army, is scheduled to inaugurate the 'Vindhyagiri', the sixth vessel within the 17A frigate series, on Thursday. The ships belonging to this initiative have been crafted internally by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau. This particular vessel, named after the Karnataka mountain range, has been constructed at the facilities of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited in Kolkata. Notably, the 'Vindhyagiri' has the capability to accommodate the BrahMos missile system.

As detailed by the Defence Ministry, the 'Vindhyagiri' represents the sixth addition to the Project 17A frigates. This advanced warship boasts improved stealth attributes, state-of-the-art weaponry and sensors, along with cutting-edge platform management systems.

Tribute to predecessor

The technologically sophisticated frigate pays homage to its predecessor, the INS Vindhyagiri of the Leander Class ASW frigates, which served commendably. Commissioned into the Navy on July 8, 1981, until its retirement on June 11, 2012, the INS Vindhyagiri valiantly participated in a range of challenging missions and multinational exercises over its nearly 31-year tenure.

The freshly completed 'Vindhyagiri' stands ready to carry forward its proud naval legacy, now fortified with homegrown defence capabilities.

Named after mountains

The ambitious Project 17A initiative entrusted Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) with constructing four ships, while Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) undertook three ships. Among these, the first five vessels -- Taragiri, Udayagiri, Dunagiri, Nilgiri, and Himgiri -- have been successfully launched. 

All the ships in this series are christened after prominent mountain ranges in India. The fundamental objective of Project 17A was to develop a fleet of stealthy guided-missile frigates. 

Aatmanirbhar Bharat

The total budget allocated to Project 17A amounts to approximately Rs 25,700 crore. The design of Project 17A ships was masterminded within the confines of the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau, which serves as the lead entity for all warship design endeavours. 

Manifesting the nation's steadfast dedication to self-sufficiency, a noteworthy 75% of equipment and system orders for the Project 17A ships originated from domestic entities, including micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The launch of the 'Vindhyagiri' stands as a testament to the remarkable strides achieved in cultivating an autonomous naval force.