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The Indian Navy (IN) says that it has almost finalized the purchase of 7 stealth frigates, expected to cost as much as $9 billion (₹ 500 billion) in total.


Codenamed “Project-17A,” the ships will be more advanced than the current P-17 Shivalik class frigates and will incorporate latest generation stealth frigates in to the IN, equipped with advanced radar technology.


Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) will build four and the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) will construct the remaining three.


Ministry of Defence (MoD) has already approved it and its up for Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approval.


Indian Navy had inducted two Shivalik class frigates under the Project-17 and will induct one on 21 July. The three Project 17 class frigates – INS Shivalik, INS Satpura and the INS Sahyadri were built by the MDL. The Shivalik class vessels were proposed as a supplement for the Russian made Talwar class frigates. A total of four Talwar class vessels currently serve with the IN. Two more (INS Tarkash and INS Trikand) are scheduled to be inducted shortly.

Project 17A class frigates are designed to be faster, longer and technologically advanced compared with the Shivalik class frigates. Lockheed Martin and Hyundai Heavy Industries had expressed their interest in the Project 17A, but withdrew when MoD made it clear that the preference will be given to the local ship builders.