Visakhapatnam: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday commissioned two cutting-edge stealth frigates, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, into the Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command, hailing them as “floating F-35s” that will stand as invincible guardians of India’s seas.
Congratulating the Navy and shipbuilders, Mr. Singh drew a symbolic comparison to America’s fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet. “One nation has a flying F-35, and you have built a floating F-35 indigenous, and made in India,” he said, underscoring the technological leap represented by the new warships.
Both frigates belong to Project 17A, India’s advanced stealth warship program, designed to enhance maritime strike power and survivability. INS Udaygiri, built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, is the second ship in the series, while INS Himgiri, from Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata, is the first of its kind. Each represents a generational shift over previous designs, combining speed, stealth, and heavy firepower.
Equipped with long-range strike weapons, supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, rocket and torpedo launchers, advanced combat management and fire-control systems, the frigates are designed to counter evolving threats across the maritime domain. “These warships, built entirely in India, showcase the Navy’s modernisation and our growing capacity for indigenous defence production,” Mr. Singh said.
The ships also carry forward the legacy of their predecessors INS Udaygiri (F35) and INS Himgiri (F34) which served for more than three decades before being decommissioned.
In his address, the Defence Minister highlighted the urgency of adopting new-age technologies and preparing for unconventional challenges. “In today’s era, old thinking will not work. We must anticipate future threats and innovate constantly. Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, research and development in defence has been given the highest priority,” he said.
He also reaffirmed India’s readiness to secure its maritime boundaries decisively, declaring that with the commissioning of these warships, the Navy has taken another step towards becoming a true Blue Water Force capable of global reach.