The Indian Navy is set to commission two advanced multi-mission stealth frigates, Udaygiri and Himgiri, at the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will preside over the ceremony, marking the induction of two state-of-the-art vessels from Project 17A.
This will be the first time two frontline surface combatants, constructed at different shipyards, are commissioned together, underscoring the increasing strategic weight of India’s eastern seaboard. “Two state-of-the-art combatant platforms join the Indian Navy fleet, fortifying India’s strength at sea. RM Rajnath Singh will preside over this momentous commission ceremony,” the Navy posted on X.
Both frigates are follow-on ships of the Project 17 Shivalik-class, featuring significant upgrades in design, stealth, sensors, and weapons, enabling them to undertake a wide spectrum of operations in blue-water environments.
Udaygiri — built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai — is the second vessel under Project 17A. Himgiri, meanwhile, is the first P17A ship produced by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata. Notably, Udaygiri became the fastest ship of its class to be delivered post-launch, thanks to modular construction techniques.
Displacing around 6,700 tons, the P17A frigates are about five percent larger than their Shivalik-class predecessors and feature a sleek design to reduce radar visibility. They are armed with an array of indigenous systems, including supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, a 76 mm MR Gun, and close-in weapon systems of 30 mm and 12.7 mm calibres.
In a landmark achievement, Udaygiri is also the 100th warship designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, capping five decades of indigenous naval architecture. The construction of both frigates involved a network of more than 200 MSMEs, generating nearly 4,000 direct and 10,000 indirect jobs.
With 75% indigenous content, the new vessels reflect India’s commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing. Their induction will enhance the Navy’s combat preparedness and strengthen maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region.
Once commissioned, Udaygiri and Himgiri will join the Eastern Fleet, further boosting India’s ability to protect its strategic interests at sea, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.