Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), India’s largest public sector steelmaker and a Maharatna company, announced that it supplied the entire 4,000 tonnes of special steel for INS Nilgiri. The vessel, commissioned into the Indian Navy by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 15, is the lead ship of the Nilgiri-class Project P17A frigates.
The special steel, including DMR 249A grade hot-rolled sheets and plates, was sourced from SAIL’s Bokaro, Bhilai, and Rourkela Steel Plants. Bokaro contributed approximately 2,000 tonnes, while Bhilai and Rourkela supplied 1,600 tonnes and 400 tonnes, respectively.
INS Nilgiri, built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), is a guided missile frigate with a length of 149 meters, a displacement of 6,670 tonnes, and a speed of 28 knots. The P17A project comprises seven stealth frigates, with SAIL providing steel for all vessels in this series.
SAIL’s involvement in defense projects, including supplying steel for INS Vikrant, highlights its pivotal role in supporting India’s defense indigenization and its status as a trusted steel supplier for critical national initiatives.
