The combat readiness of the Indian Navy and its ability to safeguard India's maritime interests across the Indian Ocean Region are set for a major upgrade with the commissioning of two state-of-the-art combatant platforms—Project 17A multi-mission stealth frigates Udaygiri and Himgiri.
The commissioning ceremony was presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday at the Naval Base in Visakhapatnam.
Udaygiri and Himgiri are follow-on ships of the Project 17 (Shivalik) class frigates. Both the vessels incorporate significant improvements in design, stealth, weapon and sensor systems, and are capable of executing a full spectrum of maritime missions in blue water conditions.
What makes the event historic is the fact that this is the first time two frontline surface combatants built at two different shipyards are commissioned simultaneously. Udaygiri is built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, while Himgiri is constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).
With a displacement of about 6,700 tons, the P17A class frigates are roughly five per cent larger than their predecessor Shivalik-class frigates, incorporating a sleeker form with a reduced radar cross-section. Udaygiri also holds the distinction of being the fastest ship of her class to be delivered post-launch.
The frigates also feature a suite of advanced weapons and sensors developed by Indian manufacturers. 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.
In keeping with the Navy’s tradition of reviving names of illustrious predecessors, both frigates are named after earlier INS Udaygiri (F35) and INS Himgiri (F34) that served the nation with distinction for over 30 years before being decommissioned, according to the defence ministry.