Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
Project 17A (Nilgiri-class Frigates)
"India's most advanced indigenous stealth frigate programme, 7 ships (4 at MDL, 3 at GRSE) with >75% indigenous content, displacing 6,670 tonnes, armed with BrahMos and Barak-8."
Project 17A is the Indian Navy's flagship surface combatant programme, producing seven Nilgiri-class stealth frigates designed entirely by the Directorate of Naval Design (DND) of the Indian Navy. The ships are being built concurrently at two shipyards: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai (4 ships) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata (3 ships). The Nilgiri-class displaces 6,670 tonnes, measures approximately 149 metres in length, and incorporates comprehensive stealth features: reduced radar cross section (RCS) through sloped superstructure design, infrared signature suppression via engine exhaust cooling, and acoustic quieting through raft-mounted machinery. Indigenous content exceeds 75%, with a supply chain involving 200+ Indian MSMEs. Armament includes BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Barak-8 Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (jointly developed with Israel), torpedo tubes, rocket launchers, and a 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mount. The ships carry an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter for ASW operations. The programme uses Integrated Construction Methodology (modular block construction), pre-fabricated hull and superstructure sections are built separately and assembled, reducing construction time by approximately 30%. This is the first time two Indian shipyards have simultaneously built warships of the same class from a common design.
Important for Prelims (ship names, pennant numbers, builders, specifications) and Mains GS3 (defence indigenisation, Make in India, naval modernisation strategy, MSME participation).
- 1 7 frigates: 4 at MDL Mumbai + 3 at GRSE Kolkata
- 2 Displacement: 6,670 tonnes; length: ~149 m
- 3 Indigenous content: >75%; 200+ MSME suppliers
- 4 Design: Directorate of Naval Design (DND), Indian Navy
- 5 Weapons: BrahMos, Barak-8 LRSAM, torpedoes, 76mm SRGM
- 6 Cost: ~Rs 48,000 crore for all 7 ships
- 7 INS Nilgiri (F39): Commissioned Aug 2024; INS Udaygiri (F40): 2025
- 8 INS Taragiri (F41): Commissioning April 3, 2026
- 9 Stealth: Reduced RCS, IR suppression, acoustic quieting
INS Taragiri (F41), the fourth ship of Project 17A, will be commissioned on April 3, 2026 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, marking another milestone in India's naval indigenisation journey where over 75% content is sourced domestically.
