Indian Navy’s warship Mahendragiri, developed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. (MDL), was launched by Dr. Sudesh Dhankar in Mumbai on Friday. One key contributing factor, according to the Vice President, is the remarkable achievement of sourcing 75 percent of the equipment and systems for the Nilgiri-class from domestic companies.
In his address to the gathering, which included dignitaries like Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, Vice President Dhankar said, “I am sure that Mahendragiri, once commissioned, will proudly fly the Tiranga (national tricolour) across the oceans, as an ambassador of India’s maritime might”. The warship’s launch was performed by Sudesh Dhankar, the Vice President’s wife.
Congratulating the maritime force, the Vice President also stated that “With a strong presence of over 10,000 women across the army, navy and air force, the Indian armed forces have made considerable strides in gender equality”. Mahendragiri, named after mountain peak in the Eastern Ghats of Odisha, is the last of the 7 warships of the Nilgiri-class stealth frigates built under Project 17A and is empowered with stealth features, advanced weapons, sensors, and platform management systems, as per the Indian Navy.
