The Indian Navy will incorporate on August 26 two next-generation Nilgiri-class stealth frigates, INS Udaygiri (F35) and INS Himgiri (F34), in a ceremony that will take place in Visakhapatnam. It will be the first time that two large combat ships, built in different shipyards, are commissioned simultaneously.
Both units are part of Project 17A, a program aimed at modernizing the Indian fleet through the construction of seven Nilgiri-class frigates, an evolution of the Shivalik-class frigates (Project 17). The Udaygiri, the second unit of the program, was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai and delivered to the Navy on July 1, after 37 months since its launch. For its part, the Himgiri is the first of this class manufactured by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata, officially received by the Navy on July 31.
With a displacement of approximately 6,700 tons, the Nilgiri-class frigates are about 5% larger than their predecessors, incorporating improvements in stealth design, offensive capabilities, and combat systems. They are equipped with a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) propulsion system that drives controllable-pitch propellers, managed through an Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS). Their armament includes supersonic anti-ship missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, a 76 mm gun, 30 mm and 12.7 mm weapon systems, as well as equipment for anti-submarine warfare.
The design of these ships was developed by the Warship Design Bureau of the Indian Navy, with the Udaygiri being the hundredth ship created by this office. Construction has involved more than 200 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), generating around 4,000 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect ones.
During 2025, the Indian Navy has added various locally built units, among them the destroyer INS Surat, the frigate INS Nilgiri, the submarine INS Vaghsheer, the shallow-water anti-submarine vessel INS Arnala, and the diving support vessel INS Nistar. The sea trials carried out on the Udaygiri and Himgiri frigates have validated their propulsion, navigation, communications, and damage control systems, confirming their readiness for operational service.
With the upcoming incorporation of these two frigates, India advances in its objective of strengthening its naval capabilities and consolidating a self-sufficient defense industry, capable of producing advanced combat ships in different shipyards across the country.
*Images from the Ministry of Defence of India
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