VISAKHAPATNAM: “I want to reiterate that Operation Sindoor is not over, it is merely a pause,” said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
He was speaking at the commissioning of two advanced stealth frigates INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri at the Eastern Naval Command Headquarters in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
The Defence Minister presided over the ceremony, which marked the first time two frontline surface combatants built at different shipyards, were commissioned simultaneously.
Addressing the gathering, Singh reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to self-reliance in defence manufacturing. “INS Tamal was the last foreign order for the Indian Navy. No future ship for the Indian Navy will be built abroad. All will be constructed in India,” he asserted.
The Defence Minister described the commissioning of the two frigates as an important step toward enhancing indigenous capabilities. He reiterated India’s policy of restraint while asserting readiness to defend national security.
“When our security is threatened, we know how to give a befitting reply. Innocent civilians were killed in Pahalgam. We gave an effective, measured and precise response through Operation Sindoor,” he said. Singh reaffirmed the government’s firm commitment to strengthening the Armed Forces with a futuristic approach, describing it as a significant achievement of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat campaign. “Today, we are safeguarding not only land, sea and air, but also space, cyberspace, economic space and social space. Self-reliance is no longer just a slogan but is becoming a reality, thanks to the relentless efforts of our scientists,,” he added.
In his address, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi termed the double commissioning of INS Himgiri and INS Udaygiri a testament to India’s growing maritime power and self-reliance, noting that both warships have over 75% indigenous content.
Highlighting the Navy’s capability to deliver decisive force from the sea, he cited Operation Sindoor as an example of swift deployment and deterrence. The two frigates are follow-on ships of the Shivalik-class (Project 17) and incorporate improved stealth, advanced weapons, sensors, and modern propulsion systems. Both vessels are capable of performing a full range of maritime operations in blue-water conditions.
INS Udaygiri was constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), Mumbai, while INS Himgiri was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
The ships were designed in-house by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB), with Udaygiri being 100th warship designed by it, marking a key milestone in five decades of indigenous design efforts.
Security on eastern seaboard strengthened
Each ship is equipped with a Combined Diesel or Gas propulsion system, an Integrated Platform Management System, and a suite of advanced indigenous weapons and sensors.
Both ships revive the names of earlier frigates-INS Udaygiri (F35) and INS Himgiri (F34) - that served the Indian Navy for over three decades before being decommissioned. Udaygiri is noted for being fastest ship in her class to be delivered post-launch, a result of modular construction techniques adopted by Indian shipyards. The addition of these frigates is expected to strengthen maritime security on India’s eastern seaboard.
Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Eastern Naval Command (ENC), presided.
Commissioning of frigates hailed
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and HRD Minister N Lokesh, in separate posts on X, hailed the commissioning of two stealth frigates INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri.