Taragiri | 01 Dec 2025

Source: PIB 

The Indian Navy received Taragiri (Yard 12653), the fourth Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) frigate and the third P17A ship built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL). 

• Taragiri: The ship carries forward the legacy of the former INS Taragiri, a Leander-class frigate that served for 33 years (1980–2013). 
  • It was designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built using the Integrated Construction approach for timely delivery. 
  • Earlier INS Nilgiri, INS Udaygiri and Himgiri were received by the Indian Navy under Project 17A.    
• Project 17A: It is India’s programme to build seven Nilgiri-class stealth frigates as an upgraded successor to the Shivalik class.  
  • Of the seven frigates, four (Nilgiri, Udaygiri, Taragiri, Mahendragiri) are being built by MDL, and three (Himgiri, Dunagiri, Vindhyagiri) by GRSE. 
  • The ships are built using the integrated construction method, which reduces build time through pre-outfitting at block stages. 
  • About 75% of the Nilgiri-class systems are indigenously sourced. Built for blue-water missions, the frigates can tackle a wide range of threats and excel in anti-surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare, making them highly versatile frontline assets. 
  • P17A ships use Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plants, combining diesel engines and gas turbines, each driving a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP).  
    • They also feature a modern Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) for efficient control and monitoring of onboard systems. 
  • The ships carry Long Range Surface to Air Missiles (LRSAM), BrahMos  missiles, Barak-8, lightweight Anti-Submarine Torpedo, Indigenous Rocket Launcher (IRL). 
    • They carry advanced sensors such as multi-mission radar, the  Shakti Electronic Warfare Suite, airborne early-warning radar, surface-surveillance radar, and Humsa-NG sonar.