The Indian Navy is set to add two new stealth warships to its fleet later this month. INS Udaygiri (F35) and INS Himgiri (F34) will be officially commissioned in a joint ceremony at Visakhapatnam on August 26, the first time two major ships from different Indian shipyards will join the Navy on the same day.
INS Udaygiri, the second ship in the Project 17A class, was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai. INS Himgiri, the first of its kind to be built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers in Kolkata, marks the company’s debut in the programme. The commissioning will also mark a milestone for the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, as Udaygiri is the 100th ship it has designed.
These advanced frigates are about 6,700 tons and slightly larger than the earlier Shivalik-class, with upgraded stealth features to make them harder to detect. They are powered by a combination of diesel engines and gas turbines and carry a range of weapons, including supersonic missiles, anti-air and anti-submarine systems, and close-in defense guns.
More than 200 small and medium-sized companies have contributed to their construction, creating thousands of jobs across the country.
The new ships come after several other additions to the fleet in 2025, such as the destroyer INS Surat, the frigate INS Nilgiri, and the submarine INS Vaghsheer. Both Udaygiri and Himgiri have passed sea trials and are ready for active duty.