Latest news with #Nilgiri-class
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Stealth guided-missile frigates Udaygiri, Himgiri set to be commissioned into Navy this month
THE INDIAN Navy is set to simultaneously commission two Nilgiri-class stealth guided-missile frigates Udaygiri and Himgiri on August 26 at Visakhapatnam, the Ministry of Defence has said. The MoD said Udaygiri's commissioning will also mark another milestone: the 100th warship designed by the Navy's in-house Warship Design Bureau (WDB). At the strategic level, these multi-mission stealth frigates are capable of operating in a 'blue water' environment — deep sea far from shore — dealing with both conventional and non-conventional threats. The newly designed class of ships is also being built using 'integrated construction' philosophy, which involves extensive pre-outfitting in the block stages to reduce the overall building periods. Nilgiri-class frigates can play a crucial role in anti-surface warfare, anti-air warfare and anti-submarine warfare, with their versatile weapons and capabilities. 'The Indian Navy is preparing for the simultaneous commissioning of two advanced frontline frigates — Udaygiri (F35) and Himgiri (F34) on August 26. This will be the first time that two major surface combatants from two prestigious Indian shipyards are being commissioned at the same time at Visakhapatnam. Udaygiri, the second ship of the Project 17A stealth frigates, has been built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, while Himgiri is the first of P17A ships being constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Kolkata,' an MoD press statement said. The Nilgiri-class stealth frigate being constructed under the codename Project 17A is a follow-on of the Shivalik class or Project 17 frigates which are active in service. INS Nilgiri was first among the seven frigates in Project 17A which was commissioned in January earlier this year. Construction of four of these ships — Nilgiri, Udaygiri, Taragiri and Mahendragiri — is with the MDL while the other three — Himgiri, Dunagiri and Vindhyagiri — are by GRSE. The Nilgiri class of stealth guided-missile frigates take the names of the former Leander class which were commissioned into the Indian Navy between 1972 and 1981 and were decommissioned between 1996 and 2013. 'In another major milestone for the Indian Navy, Udaygiri is the 100th ship designed by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau. Udaygiri and Himgiri represent a generational leap over earlier designs. Displacing about 6,700 tons, the Project 17A frigates are roughly five percent larger than their predecessor Shivalik-class frigates and yet incorporate a sleeker form, with a reduced radar cross section,' the MoD has said. Nilgiri-class ships are powered by Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plants using diesel engines and gas turbines that drive controllable-pitch propellers and are managed through an Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS). The weapon suite includes supersonic Surface-to-Surface Missiles, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles and the Anti-submarine/ Underwater weapon systems. 'Both ships are the result of an industrial ecosystem spanning over 200 MSMEs, supporting approximately 4,000 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect jobs. Rigorous sea trials have validated the frigates' hull, machinery, firefighting, damage control, navigation and communication systems, ensuring they are ready for operational deployment. The commissioning of Udaygiri and Himgiri underscores the Navy's commitment to self-reliance in ship design and construction and follows the commissioning of other indigenous platforms, including destroyer INS Surat, frigate INS Nilgiri, submarine INS Vaghsheer, ASW Shallow Water Craft INS Arnala, and Diving Support Vessel INS Nistar, all in 2025 alone. India's oceans are guarded by ships built in India, designed by Indians and staffed by Indians — a true embodiment of the Make in India initiative and a beacon of the country's rising maritime power,' the MoD has said.
Indian Express
07-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Navy to commission up to 10 warships by December, led by first ASW Shallow-Water Craft ‘Arnala'
The Indian Navy will induct nine to 10 warships between June and December 2025, significantly expanding its fleet. The first of these—the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow-Water Craft (ASW-SWC) Arnala—is scheduled for commissioning on 18 June at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. This would significantly bolster India's naval fleet and most of the ships to be commissioned have been made indigenously, officials said. According to the Navy, the commissioning programme includes the ASW-SWC class of ships, beginning with ASW-SWC Arnala on 18 June at Naval Dockyard Visakhapatnam. Officials told The Indian Express that one or two more ASW-SWC vessels are also expected to be commissioned this year. The Navy said that Arnala's commissioning will mark the formal induction of the first of sixteen ASW-SWC ships into the Indian Navy. These vessels have been designed and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, under a Public–Private Partnership with L&T Shipbuilders. Named after the historic Arnala Fort in Vasai, Maharashtra, Arnala is equipped for a range of anti-submarine warfare operations, including subsurface surveillance, search-and-rescue missions, and low-intensity maritime tasks. At 77.6 m in length and over 1,490 gross tonnes, Arnala is the largest Indian naval warship to be propelled by a diesel-engine–waterjet combination, the Navy said. INS Tamal, the second Talwar-class stealth frigate under a 2016 Indo-Russian agreement, is set to be commissioned by the end of this month. Tamal is one of four frigates acquired in a $2.5 billion deal with Russia: two were constructed in Russia, and two at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) with Russian technology transfer. Its sister ship, INS Tushil, was commissioned in December 2024 at Russia's Yantar Shipyard and reached India in February 2025. Other vessels awaiting induction include a diving support ship under construction at Hindustan Shipyard Limited; at least one Project 17A (Nilgiri-class) frigate, being built jointly by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and GRSE; and a large survey vessel from GRSE. A second Nilgiri-class frigate may also be commissioned before year-end, an official said. INS Vagsheer, the sixth Kalvari-class submarine under Project 75, was commissioned in January 2025. This diesel-electric submarine operates underwater on battery power and on the surface using diesel engines, offering silent patrol capability close to the coast. Staff evaluation and cost negotiations for Project 75I—which will build six advanced conventional attack submarines—are currently under way. The Navy is also due to receive two more MH-60R Seahawk helicopters from the United States within a month. Of the 24 ordered, 13 have been delivered so far.
Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Indian Navy conducts successful anti-ship firings, demonstrates prowess in carrying out long-range precision strikes
Amid heightened tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian warships have conducted multiple successful anti-ship firings, demonstrating the Indian Navy's prowess in carrying out long-range precision strikes and demonstrating the readiness of platforms, systems and crew for possible offensive actions. In a post on X on Sunday, the Navy asserted that it is combat-ready to safeguard the nation's maritime interests, while sharing multiple visuals of the demonstrations. As per officials, the Navy was already out on a missile-firing deployment. 'The latest anti-ships firings displayed its role switch capability from peacetime to combat, while still being out at sea without entering base ports,' an official said. The warships included Kolkata -class destroyers, and Nilgiri-class and Krivak-class frigates. The Navy's tankers, and its latest aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and maritime patrol aircraft P-8Is also remain deployed in the Arabian Sea. On Thursday, the Navy's indigenous guided missile destroyer INS Surat successfully test-fired the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile in the Arabian Sea. 'The Indian Navy's latest indigenous guided missile destroyer INS Surat successfully carried out a precision cooperative engagement of a sea-skimming target, marking another milestone in strengthening our defence capabilities,' the Navy had said in a statement. Pakistan had issued a notification for the firings in the Arabian Sea. The developments come amid increased tensions between India and Islamabad following a terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 civilians—most of them tourists—were killed by terrorists. As India has vowed retaliation, the last few days have seen multiple operations carried out by security forces across Kashmir. Earlier this week, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi visited Kashmir to review the security situation. There have been repeated ceasefire violations from Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC), the Army said, adding that the Indian side has retaliated effectively. There were no casualties reported.
