MUMBAI — India’s push for self-reliance in naval shipbuilding marked a significant milestone Friday with the delivery of Taragiri, the fourth ship in the Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) frigate program and the third built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd.
The vessel, handed over to the Indian Navy on Nov. 28 at MDL’s Mumbai yard, is a modern reincarnation of the original INS Taragiri, a Leander-class frigate that served for 33 years before its decommissioning in 2013.
Navy officials said the new Taragiri represents a major leap in indigenous design and manufacturing capabilities. Designed by the Warship Design Bureau and overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team in Mumbai, the Project 17A frigates introduce enhanced stealth features, survivability and automation compared with the earlier Shivalik-class vessels.
Built using an “integrated construction” approach, Taragiri was completed in 81 months — more than a year faster than the first ship of the class, officials said. It is the fourth Project 17A vessel delivered in the past 11 months. The remaining three frigates, one at MDL and two at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers in Kolkata, are slated for delivery by August 2026.
The ship is equipped with a Combined Diesel or Gas propulsion system that uses both a diesel engine and a gas turbine to drive controllable pitch propellers. Its advanced weapons and sensor suite includes BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, the MF-STAR radar, the MRSAM air-defense system, a 76 mm gun and multiple close-in weapon systems, as well as rockets and torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare.
With 75% indigenous content, the Project 17A program has engaged more than 200 micro, small and medium enterprises and created an estimated 4,000 direct and over 10,000 indirect jobs, according to the Navy.
Officials said the ship’s delivery underscores India’s growing expertise in naval engineering and the country’s wider goal of achieving self-reliance, or Aatmanirbharta, in defense production.
