INS Mahendragiri commissioned: A milestone on India’s road to a 200-ship, atmanirbhar Navy
The Indian Navy has commissioned the INS Mahendragiri, the sixth ship of the Project-17A class, as part of its goal to reach a 200-ship fleet by 2035. This initiative emphasizes 'atmanirbhar' (self-reliance) by utilizing domestic design and manufacturing for naval defense systems.
Why it matters
This reflects India's strategic push for military self-sufficiency and its growing naval influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Indian Navy is steering toward a 200-ship force by 2035, pursuing an atmanirbhar (self-reliant) defence strategy to reach that goal.The commissioning of INS Mahendragiri, built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, is a key step: it is the sixth ship of the Project-17A class to enter service.With the pending induction of Vindhyagiri, being constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, the seventh and final ship of the class will be delivered in the coming months.These frigates were designed in-house by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau.To date, more than 100 indigenously designed warships have been commissioned, with INS Udaygiri — another Project-17A frigate commissioned in August 2025 — marking the 100th domestically designed warship to enter service.The Navy’s objective is to become fully atmanirbhar: able to operate independently and project power across the Indian Ocean and the wider Indo-Pacific.That capability is being built through collaboration with the Defence Research and Development…
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