The seventh and last stealth frigate of Project 17A, Mahendragiri, was launched into water by Sudesh Dhankhar, wife of Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar, at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. Under Project 17A, a total of seven ships were constructed, four at MDL and three at Garden Reach Ship Builders Limited (GRSE), Kolkata.
“The launch comes at an important time, wherein, the need for an assured umbrella of security is a must for sustaining the aspirational trajectory of our nation. At sea, the traditional security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region, and the larger Indo-Pacific continue to persist. Add to it, the scourge of non-traditional challenges such as piracy, drug smuggling, natural disasters, etc., continues,” Navy Chief Adm. R. Hari Kumar said speaking at the launch.
