Another indigenous warship joins Navy as GRSE hands over BrahMos-equipped frigate Himgiri

INS Himgiri

In a boost to India's naval capabilities, defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd on Thursday delivered the advanced guided-missile frigate Himgiri to the Indian Navy.

This is the first of three stealth frigates being constructed by GRSE under Project 17A, the Navy’s major warship-building programme. The 149-metre-long, 6,670-tonne warship was formally accepted on behalf of the Navy by Rear Admiral Ravnish Seth, Chief Staff Officer (Technical), Eastern Naval Command.

Launched in December 2020, Himgiri is equipped with a powerful weapons package, including BrahMos cruise missiles for land and sea strike roles and Barak 8 surface-to-air missiles for air defence. Capable of anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, the frigate significantly enhances the Navy’s operational reach.

The three P17A warships being built by GRSE are together valued at over Rs 21,800 crore, making them among the most sophisticated frontline combatants in the Navy’s arsenal.

Himgiri is also notable for being the 112th warship built and delivered by GRSE, reinforcing the Kolkata-based shipyard’s position as a key contributor to India’s indigenous defence production efforts.