On Tuesday, 27th August, the Indian Navy successfully commissioned two stealth frigates, for the first time from two different shipbuilders at the same time, belonging to the Nilgiri class. INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri were commissioned at Visakhapatnam. The Defence Minister commissioned the two ships, both belonging to the Navy’s latest Project 17A series. Talking about the accomplishment, defence officials said this shows the growing importance of India’s eastern seaboard. INS Udaygiri and Himgiri are more enhanced in terms of combat than the previous Shivalik class.
At the event, talking about the importance of the two ships, the defence minister emphasised how their inclusion will improve the Navy’s strength and capability. strength and capability of the Navy and bolster national security. He also spoke about the features of the newly commissioned frigates. Both the warships have an equal displacement capacity and are equipped with BrahMos Supersonic missiles, Long-range Surface-to-air missiles, a rocket launcher, a Torpedo launcher, a Fire Control System, and a Combat Management System. The names of the ships have been taken from old ships that have already served the navy. The first INS Udaygiri served the Navy from 1976 to 2007, and INS Himgiri was active between 1974 to 2005.
Both the earlier slips were pioneers during their time in the navy, and the new versions draw their strength from their predecessors with a stronger build and more advanced capabilities. They are both designed by the Warship Design Bureau of the Indian Navy. The two shipyards that have built the frigates are Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, Mumbai, which has built Udaygiri, and the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata, which was involved in the manufacturing of Himgiri.
The fact that both ships were built at different places and commissioned together shows the growing advancement of India’s shipbuilding sector. Their displacement capacity is 6,700 tonnes, which is five per cent higher than the earlier ships and will make them difficult ot spot. Many advanced technologies are used to make them superior. For example, the emissions due to heat have been cut by using an infrared suppression system, and improved acoustic dampening is used to lower the noise. They are inbuilt to carry several missiles and rockets, and can also operate helicopters, which makes it an Air wing at our seas, and helps in surveillance.
Over 75 per cent of the ships are indigenous, showing India’s growing self-sufficiency in the defence sector. They will serve the Eastern fleet and help promote India’s prowess in the Indian Ocean region.
