Rajnath Commissions Multi-Mission Stealth Frigates
Udaygiri and Himagiri come from the Indian Navy's latest state-of-the-art Project 17 A and the commissioning marks the first occasion when two frontline surface combatants constructed at two different shipyards were commissioned simultaneously.
By : Laxmi Pranathi
Update: 2025-08-26 13:07 GMT
Visakhapatnam: The Indian Navy commissioned its two advanced stealth frigates --INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri -- at the Eastern Naval Command here on Tuesday. The event was graced by defence minister Rajnath Singh.
Notably, for the first time, two frontline surface combatants were commissioned simultaneously from different Indian shipyards. INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri become the 100th and 101st warships, designed in-house by the Warship Design Bureau of the Indian Navy and built in India.
The defence minister described the commissioning as "a giant stride towards the realization of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of Aatmanirbhar Bharat." He said India would no longer depend on foreign shipbuilding firms for its Navy’s requirements.
INS Tamal, he stated, was the last foreign order for the Indian Navy.
Rajnath Singh reinforced India's defensive posture, stating, "India does not believe in aggressive expansionism. We never attack any country or provoke anyone. But this doesn't mean we bow before those who mean to harm us. When our security is threatened, we know how to give a befitting reply."
Claiming that Operation Sindoor was not over, he said, “It is merely a pause. India's measured response achieved its goals.”
The minister highlighted the Navy's role as a “first responder" and "preferred security partner" in the Indian Ocean Region, particularly in combating piracy, smuggling, illegal trafficking and maritime terrorism while providing disaster relief.
Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, described the double-commissioning as a "clear testimony to the continued progress and dynamic expansion of India's maritime power."
He praised the frigates' over 75 per cent indigenous content as milestones on the road to achieving self-reliance in defence production.
The admiral said, “These are multi-mission frigates equipped with next-generation weapons, sensors, and integrated platform management systems, ready to perform anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare operations.”
INS Udaygiri was built at Mazagon Dock in Mumbai, and INS Himgiri by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Kolkata.
Both vessels are Project 17A multi-mission stealth frigates that follow INS Nilgiri, the lead ship of the successor class to Project 17 (Shivalik class). The advanced frigates incorporate improved stealth features, reduced radar signatures, advanced surveillance radars, electronic warfare suites, supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and rapid-fire gun systems.
The two ships feature combined diesel or gas propulsion plants and state-of-the-art integrated platform management systems, enabling higher speeds and improved fuel efficiency.
The defence minister described the commissioning as "a giant stride towards the realization of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of Aatmanirbhar Bharat." He said India would no longer depend on foreign shipbuilding firms for its Navy’s requirements.
INS Tamal, he stated, was the last foreign order for the Indian Navy.
Rajnath Singh reinforced India's defensive posture, stating, "India does not believe in aggressive expansionism. We never attack any country or provoke anyone. But this doesn't mean we bow before those who mean to harm us. When our security is threatened, we know how to give a befitting reply."
Claiming that Operation Sindoor was not over, he said, “It is merely a pause. India's measured response achieved its goals.”
The minister highlighted the Navy's role as a “first responder" and "preferred security partner" in the Indian Ocean Region, particularly in combating piracy, smuggling, illegal trafficking and maritime terrorism while providing disaster relief.
Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, described the double-commissioning as a "clear testimony to the continued progress and dynamic expansion of India's maritime power."
He praised the frigates' over 75 per cent indigenous content as milestones on the road to achieving self-reliance in defence production.
The admiral said, “These are multi-mission frigates equipped with next-generation weapons, sensors, and integrated platform management systems, ready to perform anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare operations.”
INS Udaygiri was built at Mazagon Dock in Mumbai, and INS Himgiri by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Kolkata.
Both vessels are Project 17A multi-mission stealth frigates that follow INS Nilgiri, the lead ship of the successor class to Project 17 (Shivalik class). The advanced frigates incorporate improved stealth features, reduced radar signatures, advanced surveillance radars, electronic warfare suites, supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and rapid-fire gun systems.
The two ships feature combined diesel or gas propulsion plants and state-of-the-art integrated platform management systems, enabling higher speeds and improved fuel efficiency.