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New Delhi: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), which is under the defence ministry, on Sunday launched Taragiri, the third stealth frigate of Project 17A.
The ship has been built using an integrated construction methodology which involves hull block construction in different geographical locations and integration and erection on the slipway at the MDL, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
“In compliance with the notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Government of India declaring a state mourning on September 11 (due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II), the event was limited to a technical launch. As the event is tide dependent, any change in the schedule was not possible," it said in a statement.
The Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and the MDL teams having demonstrated multiple successful conventional launches in the past, have honed their expertise further and performed yet another pontoon assisted launch with panache. Following the launch, ‘Taragiri’ will join its two sister ships at MDL for outfitting activities towards the run up for their delivery to Indian Navy.
“Seven P17A Frigates are under various stages of construction at MDL and GRSE. Indigenous construction of complex frontline ships such as Stealth Frigates has catapulted the nation to a higher pedestal in the arena of shipbuilding. It provides additional benefits such as economic development, employment generation for Indian Shipyards, their sub-contractors and ancillary industry," the statement said.
“Further, 75% of the orders of the Project 17A have been placed on indigenous firms including MSMEs, thus reinforcing the country’s quest for ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’," it added.
The ship was named by Charu Singh, president, Navy Wives Welfare Association (Western Region), wife of vice admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, FOC-in-C Western Naval Command, who was the chief guest.