Indian Navy Commissions Advanced Stealth Frigates INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri at Visakhapatnam.
Defence
The Indian Navy commissioned two state-of-the-art stealth frigates, INS Udaygiri (Yard 12652) and INS Himgiri (Yard 3022), at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP). The event was presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, marking the first-ever simultaneous commissioning of two warships built at different shipyards.
- The commissioning of INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri represents a landmark moment in India’s naval history, as it is the first instance where two advanced stealth frigates have been inducted simultaneously from two different shipyards. This demonstrates India’s increasing self-reliance in warship construction under Atmanirbhar Bharat.
- Both vessels are part of the Project 17A (Shivalik-class) frigates, an advanced series of stealth-guided missile frigates designed to enhance the Navy’s operational reach. Project 17A follows the success of Project 17, with improved stealth features, automation, and weapon systems.
- The newly commissioned ships are named after earlier versions of INS Udaygiri (F35), which served from 1976 to 2007, and INS Himgiri (F34), which was in service from 1974 to 2005. The revival of these names symbolizes continuity of naval heritage and tradition.
Main Point :- (i) INS Udaygiri was constructed at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, and is the second ship under Project 17A built by MDL. On the other hand, INS Himgiri was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, and is the third ship in the Project 17A series by GRSE.
(ii) Both frigates were designed in-house by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB). They represent the 100th and 101st warships developed by WDB, highlighting 50 years of indigenous warship design and development capabilities in India.
(iii) These stealth frigates are equipped with advanced weaponry and sensors, making them among the most sophisticated platforms in the Navy. Inducted into the Eastern Naval Fleet, they will significantly enhance India’s maritime capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), ensuring security of sea lanes and national interests.
About Indian Navy (IN)
Chief of Naval Staff (CONS) : Admiral Dinesh Kumar (DK) Tripathi
Headquarters: New Delhi
____________________________
