President Draupadi Murmu inaugurated the INS Vindhyagiri, an advanced stealth frigate, at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) facility situated along the Hooghly River. The launch ceremony was graced by prominent figures such as West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The vessel, INS Vindhyagiri, is the sixth of seven ships constructed as part of ‘Project 17 Alpha’ for the Navy. This project’s first five ships were introduced between 2019 and 2022. This particular stealth frigate marks the culmination of Kolkata-based shipbuilder’s commitment to construct warships for the Navy under this initiative.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) highlighted, “The previous INS Vindhyagiri, which served from July 8, 1981, to June 11, 2012, participated in numerous challenging operations and multinational exercises. The newly christened INS Vindhyagiri signifies India’s dedication to preserving its rich naval history while simultaneously advancing its indigenous defense capabilities.”
In keeping with naval tradition, the new warship has been named ‘INS Vindhyagiri’, preserving the legacy of its predecessor.
Officials disclosed that a significant 75% of equipment and system orders for P17A ships are sourced from local firms, including micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The warship will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology and undergo comprehensive trials before being commissioned into service with the Indian Navy.
A GRSE representative explained that the P17A guided missile frigates each span 149 meters in length, displace around 6,670 tonnes, attain a speed of 28 knots, and possess the capacity to counter threats in the air, on land, and underwater.
Earlier on the same day, President Draupadi Murmu launched the ‘My Bengal, Addiction-free Bengal’ campaign under the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’ organized by the Brahma Kumaris at Raj Bhavan. In preparation for the president’s visit, heightened security measures were implemented in the city, including traffic regulations on various roads. This visit marked her second to the state, the previous one being in March.