Visakhapatnam: In a major boost to the naval power, two multi-mission stealth frigates - INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri - have been commissioned into the Indian Navy. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the commissioning ceremony held at the Eastern Naval Command in Vishakhapatnam. Both warships belonged to the Nilgiri class frigates.
INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri are part of the Indian Navy's state-of-the-art Project 17 A. Notably, it is for the first time that the two frontline warships are being commissioned simultaneously. Two state-of-the-art combatant platforms join the Indian Navy fleet, fortifying India's strength at sea. RM Rajnath Singh (Defence Minister) will preside over this momentous commission ceremony," said the Indian Navy in a post on X late on Monday.
The induction of these frigates are considered as a counter move by India to China's 'String of Pearls' policy in the Indian Ocean.
How These Frigates Boost India's Naval Capabilities?
The two stealth frigates are follow-on ships of the Project 17 (Shivalik) class frigates. These warships incorporate significant improvements in design, stealth, weapon, and sensor systems, capable of executing a full spectrum of maritime missions in 'blue water' conditions as compared to the Project 17 class frigates.
INS Himgiri is the second of the P17A ships to be constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata, while INS Udaygiri is the third ship from the Project 17A stealth frigates and was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai.
Both ships have the capability of displacing 6,700 tons. These Project 17A class frigates are around five per cent larger than their predecessor Shivalik-class frigates and are sleeker.
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 are among the weapons which are equipped in the frigates.
INS Udaygiri is the 100th ship designed by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau (WDB), a milestone in India's indigenous warship design. The development of these frigates aligns with the Indian Government's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliance) in defence manufacturing.
