This is the first time that two major surface combat ships from two prestigious Indian shipyards have been commissioned together today. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the frontline multi-mission stealth frigates ‘Udayagiri’ and ‘Himgiri’ at the Naval Base in Visakhapatnam. The simultaneous induction of the two ships into the Navy is a direct testimony to India’s rapid naval modernisation and the supply of state-of-the-art warships from various shipyards.
The second ship of the stealth frigates under Project 17A, ‘Udayagiri’, has been built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai, while ‘Himgiri’ is the first ship of the same project built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata. Another major achievement for the Indian Navy is that Udayagiri is the 100th ship designed at the Naval Warship Design Bureau. In terms of design, Udayagiri and Himgiri are next generation ships. With a displacement of about 6,700 tonnes, these frigates of Project 17A are about five percent larger than their predecessor Shivalik-class frigates. Yet their shape is more streamlined and their radar cross section is less.
According to the Navy, they are powered by combined diesel or gas propulsion plants using diesel engines and gas turbines driving controllable-pitch propellers and managed through an integrated platform management system. The weapon suite includes supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, 76 mm MR guns and a combination of 30 mm and 12.7 mm close-in weapon systems and anti-submarine/underwater weapon systems. More than 200 MSMEs have contributed to the construction of both the ships. These have created about 4,000 direct jobs and more than 10 thousand indirect jobs.
A proud example of self-reliance
The launch of Udaygiri and Himgiri reflects the Navy’s commitment towards self-reliance in design and construction of ships. Other indigenous ships, such as destroyer INS Surat, frigate INS Nilgiri, submarine INS Vagsheer, submarine INS Arnala and diving support vessel INS Nistar will be launched in 2025 itself. During rigorous sea trials, the hull, machinery, firefighting, damage control, navigation and communication systems of the frigates have confirmed that they are ready for operational deployment. These ships, with about 75 per cent indigenous content, are in line with the government’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing.
India will become stronger in protecting its maritime interests in the Indian Ocean region
In keeping with the Navy’s tradition of reviving the names of its iconic predecessors, both the frigates are named after the erstwhile INS Udaygiri (F35) and INS Himgiri (F34), which had served the nation with distinction for over 30 years before being decommissioned. Thus, the launch of the new Udaygiri and Himgiri is a tribute to the legacy of their ancestors and the beginning of a new era of shipbuilding capability. The induction of Udaygiri and Himgiri into the Navy will enhance maritime combat readiness and make India stronger in protecting its maritime interests in the Indian Ocean region.
