Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], April 3 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, on Friday inspected the advanced stealth frigate INS Taragiri in Visakhapatnam.

The Defence Minister, earlier in the day, commissioned the advanced stealth frigate INS Taragiri, marking a significant enhancement to the Indian Navy's capabilities.

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.

Addressing the event here, Singh described the commissioning as a step to 'strengthen our Navy's power, values, and commitment.'

Highlighting the Navy's role, the Defence Minister stated, 'Our Navy, whether it is the Persian Gulf or the Malacca Strait, continuously maintains its presence in the Indian Ocean. Whenever any crisis arises, whether it is evacuation operations or providing humanitarian assistance, our Navy is always at the forefront. Our Navy is a symbol of India's values and commitment. The commissioning of INS Taragiri will further strengthen our Navy's power, values, and commitment.'

Singh emphasised the significance of the occasion, noting, 'Today, state-of-the-art warship, 'Taragiri', is being commissioned into the Indian Navy. The commissioning of Taragiri is a symbol of India's growing maritime power. On this occasion, I congratulate all fellow countrymen, including Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and the Indian Navy.'

He also underscored the strategic importance of maritime strength in India's development.

'When our Prime Minister speaks of building a developed India by 2047, the role of marine power in that vision also becomes extremely crucial. A country with a coastline exceeding 11,000 kilometres, our nation surrounded by the sea on three sides, cannot envision its development separate from the ocean. Nearly 95 per cent of our trade happens through maritime routes. Our energy security, too, depends on the seas. In such a scenario, it is clear that a strong and capable Navy is not merely an option for us, but a necessity,' he said.

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.

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). (ANI)