Our Bureau
Mumbai
This Tuesday, on August 26th, the Indian Navy had taken a big step and announced that they are commissioning two new Nilgiri-class stealth frigates – INS Himgiri and INS Udaygiri. This was done in a ceremony that was presided over by the Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh.
This marks the first time in history when two major warships INS Himgiri and INS Udaygiri from two different and prestigious shipyards are being commissioned by the Indian Navy at the same time. Both the Nilgiri-class stealth frigates are completely Made in India warships and are a part of the Project 17 Alpha (P-17A).
INS Himgiri was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata, West Bengal whereas INS Udaygiri was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Both these warships were built in two different shipyards showcasing the growth of the shipbuilding prowess in India. It also highlights how technologically advanced both premier defensive shipyards in Kolkata and Mumbai have gotten.
The lead vessel of the program, INS Nilgiri, was commissioned a few months back earlier this year and along with that both INS Himgiri and INS Udaygiri are homegrown with around 75% indigenous content. This provided a huge boost to the “Aatmanirbharta” vision of the Government and showcased the country’s growth in its defence manufacturing and capabilities.
As per the reports the official statement stated that both INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri contain big improvements in design, stealth, weapon and sensor systems. Both warships are capable of executing all sets of maritime missions and will help improve the combat abilities of the Indian Navy. It was also reported that INS Udaygiri is regarded as the fastest ship in this class which is a result of the modular construction methodology adopted by the shipyards in Mumbai.
