The Indian Navy commissioned its latest stealth frigate, INS Taragiri, at Visakhapatnam on April 3, 2026.
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh presided over the ceremony, describing the warship as a symbol of India’s technological prowess, self-reliance, and growing maritime strength.
INS Taragiri, the fourth vessel under Project 17A, has a displacement of 6,670 tonnes. Designed by the Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited with support from MSMEs, the frigate incorporates advanced stealth technology to reduce radar signature. With over 75 per cent indigenous content, the ship reflects India’s maturing defence ecosystem.
Equipped with BrahMos missiles, surface-to-air systems, modern radar, sonar, and an indigenous anti-submarine suite, INS Taragiri is capable of multi-role operations ranging from high-intensity combat to humanitarian missions. Rajnath Singh emphasised that India’s maritime security is vital, given that 95 per cent of trade and energy supplies depend on sea routes. He highlighted the Navy’s role in safeguarding critical sea lanes, choke points, and undersea digital infrastructure.
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi recalled the legacy of the earlier INS Taragiri, commissioned in 1980, and underscored the Navy’s readiness to meet evolving challenges in the Indian Ocean Region. The commissioning ceremony included the hoisting of the National Flag and breaking of the Commissioning Pennant.
The event also showcased India’s defence manufacturing progress, with defence exports reaching Rs 38,424 crore in FY 2025–26. Rajnath Singh praised the collaboration between Defence Public Sector Undertakings and private industry, calling INS Taragiri an embodiment of India’s vision of Aatmanirbharta in defence.
