The Indian Navy is set to commission three frontline combatants-‘Nilgiri,’ the lead ship of the Project 17A stealth frigate class; ‘Surat,’ the fourth and final ship of the Project 15B stealth destroyer class; and ‘Vaghsheer,’ the sixth and final submarine of the Scorpene-class project-at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on 15 January. This will provide a significant boost to the Indian Navy’s combat potential while underscoring the country’s pre-eminent status in indigenous shipbuilding. All three platforms have been designed and constructed entirely at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.
‘Nilgiri,’ the lead ship of Project 17A, is a major advancement over the Shivalik-class frigates, incorporating significant stealth features and reduced radar signatures through state-of-the-art technology. The Project 15B destroyer, ‘Surat,’ is the culmination of the follow-on class to the Kolkata-class (Project 15A) destroyers, featuring substantial improvements in design and capabilities. ‘Vaghsheer,’ the sixth Scorpene-class submarine under the Kalvari-class Project 75, is one of the most silent and versatile diesel-electric submarines in the world.
