Darwin [Australia], March 23 (ANI): The crew of INS Nilgiri won the Kakadu Shield Trophy during the sporting fixtures as the harbour phase of Exercise Kakadu 2026 is underway at Darwin.

Sharing the details in a post on X, the Indian Navy said, 'Nilgiri Nails It at Kakadu 2026. Crew of #INSNilgiri clinched the #Kakadu Shield Trophy as part of sporting fixtures at Darwin during the Harbour Phase of Exercise Kakadu 2026, the premier maritime multilateral exercise conducted by @Australian_Navy.'

https://x.com/indiannavy/status/2035909607420473567?s=20

The Indian Navy's frigate INS Nilgiri is taking part in the sea phase of Exercise Kakadu 2026 in Australia as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific.

In a post on X, the Navy said the exercise aims at strengthening interoperability, cooperation and maritime understanding among participating navies.'#IndianNavy in the Pacific Exercise Kakadu 2026 #Australia #INSNilgiri on her overseas deployment to the Western Pacific during the Sea Phase I of Exercise Kakadu 2026 - Strengthening naval interoperability, cooperation and maritime understanding amongst participating navies. Partners in #maritimesecurity across the Indo-Pacific,' the Navy said.

Exercise Kakadu is a multilateral maritime exercise hosted by Australia, bringing together navies from across the Indo-Pacific region.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy is preparing to commission its latest stealth frigate, Taragiri (F41), on April 3. According to a statement, the ceremony, scheduled to be presided over by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, will serve as a powerful testament to the nation's journey toward becoming a completely self-reliant naval power.

As the fourth potent platform of the Project 17A class, Taragiri is not merely a ship; it is a 6,670-tonne embodiment of the 'Make in India' spirit and the sophisticated engineering capabilities of our indigenous shipyards.

Taragiri, built under Project 17A by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai, is designed with advanced stealth features and modern combat systems. With over 75 per cent indigenous content, the vessel reflects India's push towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

The warship is equipped with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile systems, along with anti-submarine warfare capabilities, and is designed for multi-role operations, including combat and humanitarian missions.

The Indian Navy continues to grow as a combat-ready, cohesive, credible, Aatmanirbhar force, safeguarding the seas for a Viksit, Samriddha Bharat guarded by ships designed by Indians, built by Indians and operated by Indians. (ANI)