INS Mahendragiri · Nilgiri-class P17A stealth frigate (Yard 12667, MDL)
Final Nilgiri-class P17A stealth frigate; commissioned 13 Jan 2026 at Mumbai; MDL-built; 6,670t full load; BrahMos + Barak-8/ER; the class's lead ship (Nilgiri) commissioned Dec 2025.
Last verified:
At a Glance
- Class
- Nilgiri-class Project 17A stealth frigate
- Shipyard
- Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai
- Displacement
- ~6,670 tonnes full load
- Length
- ~149 m
- Beam
- ~17.8 m
- Propulsion
- COGAG — 2x GE LM2500 gas turbines + 2x MAN diesel engines
- Speed
- >28 knots
- Range
- ~5,500 nm
- Main armament
- 32-cell VLS (16 BrahMos + 16 Barak-8/ER) — 8 VL-SRSAM on P17A variant fit
- Gun
- 76mm OTO Melara SRGM + AK-630 CIWS (2)
- ASW
- Twin 324mm torpedo tubes + RBU-6000 ASW rocket launcher + Kamov Ka-28 or MH-60R helicopter
- Radar
- BEL MF-STAR with indigenised AESA + IAI EL/M-2248 MF-STAR technology
- Commander
- Commissioned 13 January 2026, Mumbai
- Class size
- 7 ships (Nilgiri, Udaygiri, Taragiri, Himgiri, Dunagiri, Mahendragiri, Vindhyagiri)
- indicators
- []
- key specs
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What It Is
INS Mahendragiri is the seventh and final Nilgiri-class Project 17A (P17A) stealth frigate, built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. She follows the lead ship Nilgiri (commissioned December 2025) and sisters Udaygiri, Taragiri, Himgiri, Dunagiri and Vindhyagiri. The P17A is a substantially revised follow-on of the earlier Talwar/Shivalik classes, with a fully stealth-optimised hull and superstructure, integrated platform management system, and ~75% indigenous content claimed by the yard. The class centres on a COGAG propulsion arrangement (two GE LM2500 gas turbines plus two MAN diesels) and carries a 32-cell vertical launch system firing BrahMos anti-ship/land-attack cruise missiles and Barak-8/ER surface-to-air missiles, a 76mm main gun, close-in weapon systems, torpedo tubes and an ASW rocket launcher, plus a multi-role helicopter. Mahendragiri was commissioned on 13 January 2026 at MDL, Mumbai, in the presence of the Chief of the Naval Staff, completing the seven-ship P17A programme (the two Garden Reach-built ships, Vindhyagiri and one other, versus five MDL ships — the class is split across MDL and GRSE). The frigate is named after a mountain peak in Odisha.
Deployments & Procurement
The P17A programme was sanctioned in 2015 for seven frigates at a combined cost of ~₹45,000 crore across MDL (5) and GRSE (2). INS Mahendragiri was launched in 2023 and commissioned on 13 January 2026 at MDL Mumbai. As the final vessel of the class she completes the seven-ship programme; the fleet is expected to reinforce the Eastern and Western Naval Commands for seaboard defence, air-defence escort and anti-ship/land-attack strike.
| Agency | Context | Year | Quantity / Note | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Navy | P17A frigate programme sanctioned (7 ships, MDL + GRSE) | 2015 | 7 frigates, ~₹45,000 crore programme value | [1] |
| Indian Navy / MDL | INS Mahendragiri launched | 2023 | Launched at MDL, Mumbai | [1] |
| Indian Navy | INS Mahendragiri commissioned | 2026 | 13 January 2026, MDL Mumbai — final P17A ship | [1][2] |
Open Questions
- Final split split of the 7 P17A ships between MDL and GRSE (5 MDL + 2 GRSE widely reported but final delivery dates for GRSE-built ships pending)
- Whether follow-on P17B orders are planned
- Exact BrahMos/Barak-8 loadout on the final fitted configuration
Import Dependencies
Import content on the P17A is concentrated in propulsion, weapons and some sensors; the hull, platform management and much of the combat system are indigenous.
| Component | Severity | Note | Pillar | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GE LM2500 gas turbines | Critical | US (GE Aviation) — the propulsion prime mover; no indigenous naval gas turbine in service | /research/pillars/defence/ | [1] |
| BrahMos cruise missile | High | India-Russia JV (BrahMos Aerospace); scramjet sustainer and system integration indigenous, some sub-systems Russian | /research/pillars/defence/ | |
| Barak-8 / ER surface-to-air missile | High | Israel (IAI) co-development with DRDO; seekers and some missile components imported | /research/pillars/defence/ | |
| MF-STAR / radar technology | Medium | IAI-developed MF-STAR; BEL is indigenising AESA variants | /research/pillars/defence/ | |
| Gas turbine engine modules | Medium | Some GM/LM modules and spares imported; MRO indigenisation via BHEL ongoing | /research/pillars/defence/ |
Intelligence Assessment
Methodology: /research/methodology
Indian-designed P17A (follow-on of Shivalik class), but relies on imported propulsion/weapons/radar
Sources: [1]
Gas turbines, radar, SAM and cruise-missile components imported
Sources: [1]
7-ship class completing; deployed to both naval commands
P17-type hull could be exported/followed; GRSE/MDL pursuing export frigates
Knowledge Graph
Maker — Other Systems
Peer Systems
Related Pillars
Timeline
FAQ
Was INS Mahendragiri the last Nilgiri-class frigate?
Yes. Mahendragiri, commissioned on 13 January 2026, is the seventh and final Nilgiri-class Project 17A stealth frigate, completing the seven-ship programme (five built at MDL Mumbai and two at GRSE Kolkata).
What weapons does INS Mahendragiri carry?
The P17A carries a 32-cell vertical launch system for BrahMos anti-ship/land-attack cruise missiles and Barak-8/ER surface-to-air missiles, a 76mm main gun, AK-630 close-in weapon systems, twin 324mm torpedo tubes, an RBU-6000 ASW rocket launcher and a multi-role ASW helicopter (Ka-28 family or MH-60R).
Sources: [1]
How indigenous is the Nilgiri class?
The P17A is claimed as ~75% indigenous by content, with an indigenous hull, integrated platform management system and 32-cell VLS. Key imports remain the GE LM2500 gas turbines, the IAI radar technology and the Barak-8 missile missile components.
Sources: [1]
Open Questions
- Final commissioning dates for the remaining GRSE/MDL-built sisters beyond Mahendragiri within the class
- Whether a follow-on P17B or additional modular frigate order is planned
- Final BrahMos/Barak-8 missile cell allocation across the fleet
Sources
- src-1OfficialINS Mahendragiri commissioned — Indian Navy
Official commissioning announcement and P17A context
- src-2IndicativeINS Mahendragiri — Project 17A class detail
Class specifications and commissioning history
- src-3CredibleINS Mahendragiri launched — Mazagon Dock
MDL official site — vessel programme context
- src-4OfficialINS Mahendragiri delivered to Indian Navy by MDL
PIB delivery of Project 17A ship Mahendragiri
- src-5CredibleINS Mahendragiri, third ship of Project 17A, delivered to Indian Navy
Mahendragiri delivery report
- src-atlas-listingIndicativeINS Mahendragiri — Defence Atlas listing
Own register: indicative only, never official per standing evidence rules. All listing-derived figures in this dossier are attributed to this source.