Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], April 3 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday commissioned the advanced stealth frigate INS Taragiri in Visakhapatnam. The warship is an advanced stealth frigate under Project 17A of the Indian Navy.

Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi and Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan were among the attendees, along with other senior Indian Navy officials.

The induction of Taragiri comes at a time when the strategic and maritime importance of India's eastern seaboard continues to grow, driven by evolving regional security dynamics and India's deepening engagement in the Indo-Pacific.

The commissioning of Taragiri highlights the Navy's sustained focus on strengthening its combat readiness and operational might through its ambitious fleet augmentation programme

As the fourth potent platform of the Project 17A class, Taragiri is not merely a ship; it is a 6,670-tonne embodiment of the 'Make in India' spirit and the sophisticated engineering capabilities of our indigenous shipyards.

Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, this Frigate represents a generational leap over earlier designs, offering a sleeker form and a significantly reduced Radar Cross-Section that allows it to operate with lethal stealth. With indigenous content exceeding 75 per cent, the ship highlights the maturity of a domestic industrial ecosystem that now spans over 200 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), contributing to the GoI's Aatmanirbharta initiatives supports thousands of Indian jobs.

Driven by a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plant, Taragiri is designed for 'High-Speed - High Endurance' versatility and multi-dimensional maritime operations. The ship's weapon suite is world-class, featuring supersonic Surface-to-Surface Missiles, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles, and a specialised Anti-Submarine Warfare suite. These systems are seamlessly integrated through a state-of-the-art Combat Management System, ensuring that the crew can respond to threats with split-second precision.

Beyond its role as a premier hunter of the seas, Taragiri is built for the complexities of modern diplomacy and humanitarian crises. Its flexible mission profile makes it ideal for everything from high-intensity combat to Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).

The Indian Navy continues to grow as a combat-ready, cohesive, credible, Aatmanirbhar force, safeguarding the seas for a Viksit, Samriddha Bharat guarded by ships designed by Indians, built by Indians and operated by Indians. Taragiri stands ready for a promising future as a beacon of rising maritime power and an ironclad guardian of the country's blue frontiers. (ANI)