VISAKHAPATNAM, India — In a milestone for India’s naval modernization, the Indian Navy is set to commission two advanced stealth frigates in a rare joint ceremony at Naval Base Visakhapatnam.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will preside over the commissioning of INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, the latest multi-mission vessels under the Navy’s Project 17A program. Officials said it will be the first time two frontline combatants, built at different shipyards, are inducted together, underscoring the growing importance of India’s eastern seaboard.
Udaygiri, built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. in Mumbai, and Himgiri, constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers in Kolkata, reflect the country’s rising shipbuilding capability and the cooperation between its premier defense yards. Udaygiri also holds the distinction of being the fastest ship of its class delivered after launch, credited to the modular construction techniques adopted by Indian shipyards.
Both ships are follow-ons to the Shivalik-class frigates, with significant improvements in stealth, weapons, and sensors. Naval officials stated that they are designed to execute the full spectrum of maritime missions in blue-water conditions, ranging from anti-submarine warfare to long-range surface strikes.
The names Udaygiri and Himgiri honor their predecessors — INS Udaygiri (F35) and INS Himgiri (F34) — which served the Navy for more than three decades before being retired.
The ships were designed in-house by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, marking its 100th project in five decades of indigenous warship design. A combined diesel-or-gas propulsion system powers each vessel, equipped with an integrated platform management system, and fitted with a suite of advanced weapons and sensors developed largely by Indian industry.
Officials stated that approximately 75 percent of the frigates’ systems are indigenous, supported by hundreds of small and medium-sized enterprises across the country, in line with the government’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” or self-reliant India, defense initiative.
Once commissioned, both frigates will join the Eastern Fleet, strengthening India’s ability to safeguard its maritime interests across the Indian Ocean region. Naval leaders said the twin commissioning represents both a tribute to the service’s legacy and a leap forward in capability.
