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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the commissioning of two multi-mission stealth frigates — Udaygiri and Himgiri — at Visakhapatnam
Indian Navy’s advanced frontline frigate Himgiri (F34) ahead of its commissioning in Visakhapatnam. (Image: Defence PRO/PTI)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday presided over the commissioning of two multi-mission stealth frigates — Udaygiri and Himgiri — at the Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam.
Singh said the warships are a milestone in the India’s maritime security as they have been built in India. He said they are the “invincible guardians of the sea” — equipped with advanced features and indigenous weapon systems — and will prove to be game-changers.
“I’m reminded of a saying that old warships never die; they are resurrected in a new avatar. India is a nation whose identity is connected not only to the land but also to the sea. We are surrounded by the sea on three sides. History bears witness that since ancient times, the sea has been a means of trade and cultural exchange for us,” Singh said.
He added: “We are the first responder in the IOR (Indian Ocean Region). You must have seen that two months ago, following a distress call near Kochi, the navy sprang into action and rescued several people, including eight Chinese nationals. Some time ago, we had another commissioning — INS Tamal — which was built in Russia. It is a matter of pride for us, but an even greater pride is that it was the last ship built abroad.”
He said India has now decided to build its own ships and these two are the result of that resolve. “One country has F-35 which fly in the air, and you have given a sea-based F-35, that too indigenous,” he said, referring to the American F-35 that are supersonic stealth strike fighter jets.
WHAT ARE UDAYGIRI AND HIMGIRI?
Belonging to the navy’s state-of-the-art Project 17 A, Udaygiri and Himgiri are two frontline surface combatants built at two different shipyards — the first at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai and the second at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata.
This is the first time that two warships built at two different shipyards have been commissioned simultaneously. This development underscores the growing maritime importance of India’s eastern seaboard.
Udaygiri and Himgiri are follow-on ships of the Project 17 (Shivalik) class frigates, and both the vessels incorporate significant improvements in design, stealth, weapon and sensors systems, capable of executing a full spectrum of maritime missions in ‘blue water’ conditions. Both represent a generational leap over earlier designs.
Udaygiri holds the distinction of being the fastest ship of her class to be delivered post-launch, a result of the modular construction methodology adopted by Indian shipyards.
Displacing about 6,700 tons, the P17A class frigates are roughly 5 percent larger than their predecessor Shivalik-class frigates, incorporating a sleeker form with a reduced radar cross section. They also feature a suite of advanced weapons and sensors developed by Indian manufacturers.
The weapons suite of these frigates include supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, medium range surface-to-air missiles, 76 mm MR Gun and a combination of 30 mm and 12.7 mm close-in weapon systems.
In another major milestone for the navy, Udaygiri also happens to be the 100th ship designed by its Warship Design Bureau (WDB), marking a milestone in five decades of indigenous warship design. Both are the result of an industrial ecosystem spanning over 200 MSMEs, supporting approximately 4,000 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect jobs.
According to the ministry of defence (MoD), this event underscores India’s accelerating naval modernisation and its ability to deliver sophisticated warships from multiple shipyards. With 75 percent indigenous content, the frigates align with the Centre’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliance) in defence manufacturing, it said.
The ministry said upon commissioning, the two frigates will join the Eastern Fleet, strengthening India’s ability to safeguard its maritime interests across the IOR.
(With PTI inputs)
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
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Visakhapatnam, India, India
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