President Droupadi Murmu: The stealth frigate is the sixth ship built as part of the Vindhyagiri Project 17A frigate. The other five ships – INS Nilgiri, Udayagiri, Himagiri, Taragiri and Dunagiri – were to be launched between 2019 and 2022. Officials said that the name of the ship is derived from the ‘Vindhya’ mountain range in Karnataka.
President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday launched the advanced stealth frigate ‘Vindhyagiri’ for the Indian Navy in Kolkata and said it was a step towards achieving the goal of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ through indigenous shipbuilding. The vessel was built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) facility in Kolkata. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Governor CV Anand Bose and Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, former BCCI President Sourav Ganguly and Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goel were among other dignitaries present at the event.
The stealth frigate is the sixth ship built as part of the Vindhyagiri Project 17A frigate. The other five ships – INS Nilgiri, Udayagiri, Himagiri, Taragiri and Dunagiri – were to be launched between 2019 and 2022. Officials said that the name of the ship is derived from the ‘Vindhya’ mountain range in Karnataka.
According to officials, the P17A ships are guided missile warships. “With a displacement of nearly 6,670 tonnes and a speed of 28 knots, they measure 149 meters in length. These ships are capable of neutralizing threats in all three dimensions – air, surface and sub-surface,” said a GRSE official.
At the event, the President Droupadi Murmu stated, “This event is a means to increase India’s maritime capabilities.” Vindhyagiri is a step towards achieving the goal of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ through indigenous shipbuilding. Murmu praised the Indian Navy and said, “I have learned that GRSE has constructed and supplied over 100 warships, such as Vindhyagiri among others.” Your skill and tireless efforts have brought us to this point. I commend the achievements of the entire GRSE team.
“This project will showcase local innovation to develop cutting edge technology. I am told that these series of multi-mission frigates are capable of countering all kinds of threats to our maritime interests,” She said.
President Droupadi Murmu, who is on her second visit to the state after becoming President, said Kolkata, with its rich culture and history, “has a special place in the heart of the country”. “Its intellectual dynamism, artistic fervor and cosmopolitan spirit bring out the best of India. The strategic position of Kolkata is essential for our naval capability, maritime security and regional harmony.
The President Droupadi Murmu said that once the warship is commissioned, it will become a symbol of Vindhya’s strength.
Addressing reporters after the event, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said that the Indian Navy is striving to become self-sufficient by 2047. “It is a matter of great pride and honor for us to launch Vindhyagiri. It is the reincarnation of the erstwhile warship Vindhyagiri. She is the most powerful and the third ship launched by GRSE. Various ships are under construction in Indian shipyards today,” he said.
