India, July 7 -- The Indian Navy will commission its latest stealth frigate, Mahendragiri, in Visakhapatnam on July 11, a step towards boosting its presence in the Indian Ocean region and the larger Indo-Pacific, amid China's push in the vast maritime expanse.

"As India continues to strengthen its role as the preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean region, Mahendragiri will serve as a formidable force multiplier, safeguarding the nation's maritime interests and contributing to a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific," the Navy said on Monday.

The sixth of seven stealth frigates under the Rs.45,000-crore Project 17A, the warship is named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats. This follows the commissionin...