• President Droupadi Murmu launched the sixth vessel of the Project 17 Alpha Frigates, Vindhyagiri’, a stealth guided missile frigate of the Indian Navy.
  • Previous five were INS Nilgiri, Udaygiri, Himgiri, Taragiri, and Dunagiri.

PROJECT 17A

• These warships are follow-ons of the Project 17 Class Frigates.
• The Project 17A ships have been designed in-house by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, a pioneer organisation for all warship design activities.
• Ships under Project 17A are constructed by two companies – Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).
  • The new Vindhyagiri was unveiled at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited in Kolkata.
• These guided-missile frigates have been constructed with a specific stealth design, which has radar-absorbent coatings and is low-observable which can make its approach undetectable for the enemies. The new technology also reduces the infrared signals of the ship.
• A substantial 75% of the orders for equipment and systems of Project 17A ships are from indigenous firms, including Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).