Made in India, Built to Fight: Navy to Commission Taragiri on March 14

The Indian Navy will commission INS Taragiri, the fourth Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) frigate, on March 14 in Visakhapatnam. Built by Mazagon Dock, it marks a major boost to India’s self-reliant warship design and construction.

The Indian Navy will commission INS Taragiri, the fourth ship of the Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) frigate programme, at Visakhapatnam under the Eastern Naval Command on March 14, a source in the defence and security establishment told Asianet Newsable English.

Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilding Ltd (MDL) and delivered on November 28, 2025, Taragiri represents a significant step in India's push for self-reliance in warship design and construction.

A Ship Reborn

The vessel revives the legacy of an earlier INS Taragiri -- a Leander-class frigate that served the Indian Navy for 33 years between 1980 and 2013. Its successor is a markedly more capable machine.

"This frigate reflects a quantum leap in stealth, firepower, automation and survivability, and is a symbol of Aatmanirbharta in warship building," an official said.

Designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB), Project 17A frigates are multi-mission platforms built to tackle both current and emerging maritime threats. They feature advanced stealth architecture and significantly upgraded weapons and sensors compared to the earlier Shivalik-class (P17) ships.

Firepower and Propulsion

Taragiri is armed with BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles, MFSTAR radar, the MR-SAM air defence complex, a 76mm gun, and 30mm and 12.7mm close-in weapon systems. It also carries rockets and torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare.

Propulsion comes from a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) system -- pairing diesel engines with a gas turbine to drive Controllable Pitch Propellers -- managed through an Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).

What's Next

The remaining three Project 17A ships -- one at MDL and two at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) -- are scheduled for delivery by August 2026.