New Delhi : Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), one of India’s largest steel producers, has once again contributed significantly to India’s defence capabilities by providing the entire quantity of special steel plates of about 4000 Tonnes for the construction of the seventh frigate ship under the indigenous P17 A Project for the Indian Navy.

The upcoming launch of this seventh frigate ship, the fourth warship built by M/s Mazagon Dock Ltd, is scheduled for launch on 01^st September, 2023 by Jagdeep Dhankar, Vice President of India. This event marks a significant milestone for the nation’s maritime security.

SAIL has emerged as a crucial partner in the development of the P17 A frigates, underlining the company’s commitment in advancing India’s defence indigenization. The commendable efforts of SAIL extend beyond the current warship; the company had also provided an equal quantity of special steel for the construction of the sixth frigate, named “Vindhyagiri”, recently launched by Droupadi Murmu, President of India.

The P17 A Project comprises the construction of a total of four ships by M/s Mazagon Dock Ltd and three ships by M/s GRSE. The launch of three ships by Mazagon Dock Ltd occurred between September 2019 and September 2022, while M/s GRSE successfully launched three ships between December 2020 and August 2023.

SAIL’s contributions, in terms of steel supply for these vessels amount to about 28,000 tonnes, which underscores the company’s capabilities to supply high-end products for critical use.

In its rich history of supporting India’s defence sector, SAIL has not only supplied steel for the P17 A Project but has also played an integral role in providing steel for various defence projects, including the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, warships such as INS Udaygiri and INS Surat and for the artillery gun Dhanush among others.