Droupadi Murmu.
Credit: PTI Photo
President Droupadi Murmu will launch frigate 'Vindhyagiri' in Kolkata on August 17, the Indian Navy said on Sunday.
Named after the mountain range in Karnataka, Vindhyagiri is the sixth ship of the Project 17A programme.
It will be launched by President Murmu at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata on August 17, the Navy said.
"Vindhyagiri, a technologically advanced frigate, pays a befitting tribute to the distinguished service of its predecessor, the erstwhile INS Vindhyagiri," it said.
The old Vindhyagiri in its nearly 31 years of service from July 1981 to Jun 2012, had witnessed various challenging operations and multinational exercises.
"The newly christened Vindhyagiri stands as a symbol of India's determination to embrace its rich naval heritage while propelling itself towards a future of indigenous defence capabilities," the Navy said in a statement.
Under the Project 17A programme, a total of four ships by Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) and three ships by GRSE are under construction.
The project's first five ships have been launched by the MDL and GRSE between 2019 and 2022.
"Project 17A ships have been designed in-house by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau, the pioneer organisation for all warship design activities," the Navy said.
"A substantial 75 per cent of the orders for equipment and systems of Project 17A ships are from indigenous firms, including Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)," it said.
"The launch of Vindhyagiri is an apt testament to the incredible progress our nation has made in building a self-reliant naval force," the Navy added.