Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized that while future wars may be fought with Artificial Intelligence, they will still be won by national resolve, trained soldiers and robust military power. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of INS Mahendragiri on Saturday, Singh stated that new technologies and conventional platforms are not opposed to each other but supplement and complete each other. According to Singh, without conventional platforms, new technologies are incomplete in themselves, and the strong conventional capability necessary for fulfilling basic principles of war remains as important as before. As reported by multiple sources, Singh noted that it is certain that new technologies have certainly reshaped warfare, but they have not diminished the role of conventional warfare means.
Singh described INS Mahendragiri as the concluding jewel of MDL's Project 17A series, marking the sixth project 17A frigate and the last of four warships built by MDL under the programme. The frigate has a full-load displacement of about 6,670 tonnes and can attain speeds of up to 28 knots. As reported by Business Standard, the ship is capable of simultaneously countering aerial threats, enemy surface vessels and submarines as a multi-mission stealth frigate. Singh expressed confidence that the shipyard would continue building similar advanced warships.
Singh highlighted that Andhra Pradesh has emerged as a new powerhouse of India's defence and aerospace manufacturing. According to the Defence Minister, the state has demonstrated significant growth in defence manufacturing capabilities, positioning it as a key contributor to India's defence industrial base.
The commissioning of INS Mahendragiri follows a systematic fleet expansion with earlier Project 17A frigates including INS Nilgiri commissioned in January 2025, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri in August 2025, INS Taragiri in April 2026 and INS Dunagiri in June 2026. As reported by Business Standard, this timeline demonstrates the consistent pace of India's naval modernization programme under the Project 17A initiative.
