President Droupadi Murmu recently unveiled INS Vindhyagiri, an advanced stealth frigate at a ceremony held at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) facility.
The launch of this vessel, the 6th stealth frigate built under Project 17A, marks a significant milestone in the Indian Navy’s pursuit of a self-reliant and robust defense industrial base.
At a grand event on the banks of the River Hooghly in Kolkata, President Droupadi Murmu launched INS Vindhyagiri.
Present at this occasion were other esteemed personalities including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Governor SCV Ananda Bose, as well as Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar.
Project 17A and INS Vindhyagiri
This is the sixth stealth frigate built under Project 17A, a venture that aims to boost the defence industrial base in India.
With advanced stealth features, state-of-the-art weapons & sensors, and sophisticated platform management systems, INS Vindhyagiri clearly pride itself for its technical superiority.
INS Vindhyagiri, along with its sister ships, promotes self-reliance in the defense sector by garnering a significant percentage of orders for the Project 17A from indigenous firms. The result is a robust defence industrial base, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers.
The launch of INS Vindhyagiri is in line with the ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) initiative led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
More than 75 per cent of the orders for Project 17 A have been placed on indigenous companies, empowering MSMEs and ancillary industries with the admirable task of building world-class defense vessels.
By investing in local firms, the defence sector not only bolsters India’s industrial base but also encourages economic growth, job creation, and technology development.
Final Thoughts
In her speech, President Droupadi Murmu emphasized the significance of INS Vindhyagiri. She voiced her hopes that as the new ship touches the waters of Hooghly for the first time, it draws strength from the very mountains it is named after.
Certainly, the addition of INS Vindhyagiri to the Navy’s Stealth Frigate Fleet marks a key milestone in the journey towards self-reliance. With each new launch, we witness the culmination of dedicated efforts towards fostering a robust defense industrial base and a self-reliant India.
