Commissioning of two advanced ships in Vizag today

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is arriving in Vizag on 26 August for the commissioning of the stealth frigates Udaygiri and Himgiri at the Naval Base in the afternoon.

Being commissioned as two frontline surface combatants, constructed at two different shipyards, for the first time simultaneously, Udaygiri and Himgiri are follow-on ships of the Project 17 (Shivalik) class frigates.

With significant improvement in design, stealth, weapon and sensor systems, the ships are capable of executing full
spectrum of maritime missions in blue water conditions.

While Udaygiri was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. (MDL), Mumbai, Himgiri was the product of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.

It showcases the nation’s growing shipbuilding prowess, as well as the synergy between India’s premier defence shipyards.

In keeping with the Navy’s tradition of reviving names of illustrious predecessors, both frigates have been named after earlier INS Udaygiri (F35) and INS Himgiri (F34), which had served the nation for over 30 years before being decommissioned.

The commissioning of Udaygiri and Himgiri thus honours the legacy of their forebearers while ushering in a new era of capability.

Both frigates were designed in-house by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB), and notably, Udaygiri is the 100th ship designed by it, marking a milestone in five decades of indigenous warship design.

The ships feature modern Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plants, state-of-the-art Integrated Platform Management System and a suite of advanced weapons and sensors developed by Indian manufacturers.

The ships, with about 75 per cent indigenous content, supported by hundreds of indigenous MSMEs, align with the Government’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing.

The commissioning of Udaygiri and Himgiri in Vizag will augment the Navy’s combat readiness and reaffirm India’s resolve to achieve self-reliance in warship design and construction. Upon commissioning, the two frigates will join the Eastern Fleet.

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This article is written by Senior Journalist Lakkoju Nagesh Babu