Indian Navy Commissions INS Taragiri: Advancing Project 17A Stealth Fleet

Why in the News?

The Indian Navy has inducted INS Taragiri (Yard 12653), the fourth Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) frigate and the third P17A vessel constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL).

About INS Taragiri

• The ship continues the lineage of the earlier INS Taragiri, a Leander-class frigate that served the Indian Navy for 33 years (1980–2013).
• Designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB), the frigate has been built using the Integrated Construction Method, enabling efficient production and delivery.
• Other Project 17A ships already received by the Indian Navy include INS Nilgiri, INS Udaygiri, and INS Himgiri.

Project 17A: Key Features

• Project 17A envisions the construction of seven advanced Nilgiri-class stealth frigates, an upgraded successor to the Shivalik class.
• Shipyard Distribution:
  • MDL: Nilgiri, Udaygiri, Taragiri, Mahendragiri
  • GRSE: Himgiri, Dunagiri, Vindhyagiri
• Ships under this project adopt integrated construction, reducing production time through pre-outfitted block stages.
• Around 75% of the systems onboard are indigenously sourced, strengthening India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem.

Operational and Combat Capabilities

Weapon Systems

• Long Range Surface to Air Missiles (LRSAM)
• BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles
• Barak-8 air defence missiles
• Lightweight anti-submarine torpedoes
• Indigenous Rocket Launcher (IRL)

Sensors & Electronic Warfare

• Multi-mission radar
• Shakti Electronic Warfare Suite
• Airborne early-warning radar
• Surface-surveillance radar
• Humsa-NG sonar

Propulsion

• Equipped with CODOG (Combined Diesel or Gas) propulsion
• Features both diesel engines and gas turbines, each linked to a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP)
• Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) enables efficient real-time monitoring and control of onboard systems.