President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday launched the sixth vessel of the Project 17 Alpha Frigates, Vindhyagiri', a stealth ship of the Indian Navy, at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd's (GRSE) facility on the banks of Hooghly River in Kolkata, West Bengal. West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were also present on the occasion.

“This event marks a move forward in enhancing India’s maritime capabilities. Vindhyagiri is also a step towards achieving the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat through indigenous shipbuilding. Project 17A, of which Vindhyagiri is a part, reflects our commitment to self-reliance and technological advancement. This project demonstrates indigenous innovation for developing state-of-the-art technology,” President Murmu said at the ceremony.

This is the sixth of seven ships built under 'Project 17 Alpha' for the Navy. The initial five ships under this project were launched between 2019 and 2022. Just like its predecessors, INS Nilgiri, Udaygiri, Himgiri, Taragiri, and Dunagiri, Vindhyagiri is named after a mountain range in Karnataka.

Notably, INS Vindhyagiri represents the third and final stealth frigate produced by the Kolkata-based shipbuilder, fulfilling their contractual obligation to the Navy under this project. It has been reported that before being handed over to the Indian Navy for commissioning into service, the state-of-the-art ship will be updated with the latest gadgets and will also undergo further rounds of extensive trials.

The Indian Navy in a statement said, "INS Vindhyagiri, a technologically advanced frigate, pays a befitting tribute to the distinguished service of its predecessor, the former INS Vindhyagiri, Leander Class ASW Frigate. The old Vindhyagiri, in its nearly 31 years of service from Jul 8, 1981, to Jun 11, 2012, had witnessed various challenging operations and multinational exercises. The newly christened Vindhyagiri stands as a symbol of India's determination to embrace its rich naval heritage while propelling itself towards a future of indigenous defence capabilities."

According to a GRSE official, the P17A ships are guided missile frigates, each of which is 149 metres long, with a displacement of approximately 6,670 tonnes and a speed of 28 knots. These are capable of neutralising threats in all three dimensions of air, surface and sub-surface.

The Project 17A ships have been designed in-house by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau, a pioneer organization for all warship design activities. 

The revamped version of INS Vindhyagiri boasts cutting-edge technologies, including enhanced stealth features, cutting-edge weapons and sensors, and platform management systems. As a result, it is expected to pay a proper tribute to the illustrious service of its predecessor, the former INS Vindhyagiri. These vessels possess the capability to counter threats across all three dimensions: aerial, surface, and sub-surface.

According to the officials, 75 percent of orders for equipment and systems of P17A ships are from indigenous firms, including micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The stealth ship represents India's intention to embrace its rich naval heritage and the determination to brighten the future of Indian defense repertoire.

Image source: Indian Navy