Indian Navy to Commission INS Udaygiri & INS Himgiri Together for First Time
In a historic first, the Indian Navy will commission two major surface combatants — INS Udaygiri (F35) and INS Himgiri (F34) — simultaneously on August 26 at Visakhapatnam. This unprecedented event highlights India’s accelerating naval modernisation and its ability to produce advanced warships from multiple shipyards.
INS Udaygiri, the second vessel of the Project 17A stealth frigates, has been built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. It also marks the 100th ship designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau. Meanwhile, INS Himgiri is the first of the Project 17A ships constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata.
These P17A frigates represent a generational leap over earlier designs. Displacing approximately 6,700 tons, they are about 5% larger than the Shivalik-class frigates but feature a sleeker form with reduced radar cross-section. Powered by Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion systems, they integrate diesel engines and gas turbines to drive controllable-pitch propellers, all managed via an Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
The ships’ advanced weapon suites include supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, a 76 mm MR gun, 30 mm and 12.7 mm close-in weapon systems, and sophisticated anti-submarine/underwater weapon systems.
Their construction has involved an extensive industrial network of over 200 MSMEs, creating around 4,000 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect jobs. The commissioning also follows the Navy’s recent additions to its fleet — destroyer INS Surat, frigate INS Nilgiri, submarine INS Vaghsheer, ASW Shallow Water Craft INS Arnala, and Diving Support Vessel INS Nistar — all inducted in 2025.
According to the Navy, rigorous sea trials have validated both frigates’ hull integrity, machinery performance, firefighting and damage control capabilities, as well as navigation and communication systems, confirming their readiness for operational deployment.
The dual commissioning of INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri marks a major stride toward self-reliance in ship design and construction, reinforcing India’s status as a growing maritime power.
