India's Defence Minister emphasizes resolve and troops over AI at INS Mahendragiri commissioning

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that while artificial‑intelligence technologies are reshaping warfare, future conflicts will still be decided by national resolve, trained soldiers and strong conventional military power. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the stealth frigate INS Mahendragiri in Visakhapatnam, he stressed that new technologies complement, rather than replace, conventional platforms.

Singh described INS Mahendragiri as the sixth Project 17A frigate, displacing about 6,670 tonnes, capable of 28 knots and equipped to counter air, surface and submarine threats. He highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s emergence as a defence‑manufacturing hub and noted that indigenous warship building drives employment and growth across steel, electronics, sensors and related sectors, bolstering India’s maritime future.