Stealth frigates Udaygiri, Himagiri to be commissioned in Vizag on August 26

Udaygiri - the second ship of Project 17A stealth frigate

The Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command officials informed on Monday that two advanced frontline frigates, Udaygiri (F35) and Himagiri (F34), will be commissioned on August 26.

The commissioning of Udaygiri — the second ship from Project 17A stealth frigates, built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, and Himagiri — the first of P17A ship to being constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, will mark the first time that two major surface combatants from two prestigious Indian shipyards are being commissioned at the same time at Visakhapatnam.

An official release confirmed the news, saying, "Indian Navy is preparing for the simultaneous commissioning of two advanced frontline frigates - Udaygiri (F35) and Himgiri (F34) - on 26 August."

Udaygiri, Himagiri frigate warships: Details

Both Udaygiri and Himagiri frigate warships represent a generational leap over earlier designs.

Displacing about 6,700 tons and incorporating a sleeker form with a reduced radar cross section, the P17A class frigates are roughly 5 percent larger than their predecessor Shivalik-class frigates.

The frigates are powered by Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plants using diesel engines and gas turbines which drive controllable-pitch propellers and are managed through an Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).

The weapons suite of these frigates includes 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 and anti-submarine/underwater weapon systems, said the press release.

Rigorous sea trials have validated the frigates' hull, machinery, firefighting, damage control, navigation and communication systems, ensuring that they are ready for operational deployment.

"The commissioning of Udaygiri and Himagiri underscores the Navy's commitment to self-reliance in ship design, construction and follows the commissioning of other indigenous platforms," said the press release.

Other commissioned indigenous platforms include destroyer INS Surat, frigate INS Nilgiri, submarine INS Vaghsheer, ASW shallow water craft INS Arnala, and diving support vessel INS Nistar, all in 2025.

Indian Navy's advanced frontline frigate Himgiri (F34) ahead of commissioning 

The commissioning of Udaygiri and Himagiri will be a celebration of India's journey towards a robust and self-sufficient maritime defence ecosystem, it said.

In another major milestone for the Indian Navy, Udaygiri also happens to be the 100th ship designed by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau.

Both ships are the result of an industrial ecosystem spanning over 200 MSMEs, supporting approximately 4,000 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect jobs.

This scheduled event underscores India's accelerating naval modernisation and its ability to deliver sophisticated warships from multiple shipyards, the release added.

(With Agency inputs)