Overview

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will preside over the ceremony at Visakhapatnam on August 26, after which both frigates will join the Eastern Fleet.
• This is the first simultaneous commissioning of two frontline combatants built at different Indian shipyards, with Udaygiri from MDL and Himgiri from GRSE.
• Both ships are Project 17A Nilgiri-class frigates of about 6,700 tonnes with reduced radar signatures, CODOG propulsion and integrated platform management for blue-water operations.
• The combat suites include supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, a 76 mm gun, close-in defences and advanced anti-submarine systems.
• Udaygiri is the 100th design by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, and with roughly 75% indigenous content the programme taps 200+ MSMEs and thousands of jobs, strengthening India’s presence across the Indian Ocean Region.