India commissions two Nilgiri-class frigates

INS Udaygiri , seen here at its commissioning ceremony on 26 August 2025 where its sister ship, INS Himgiri , was also inducted. (Press Information Bureau)

India has commissioned the two indigenously built multimission frigates that the Indian Navy received in July.

The frigates, which are now in service as INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, were inducted into service at the Indian Navy's base in Visakhapatnam on 26 August.

Both warships are part of India's Nilgiri (Project 17A)-class programme, and were constructed by two separate Indian shipyards, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE).

Udaygiri was delivered to the Indian Navy on 1 July by MDL while Himgiri was handed over by GRSE on 31 July.

Udaygiri's keel was laid down in May 2019, and the ship was launched on 17 May 2022. Himgiri's keel was laid down in November 2018 and launched in December 2020.

While Himgiri is the second vessel in the programme in terms of pennant number sequence, the Indian Ministry of Defence has referred to this frigate as the third of class, with Udaygiri being the second of class.

First-of-class INS Nilgiri was commissioned by the service in January 2025.

The Nilgiri class has an overall length of 149 m, an overall beam of 17.8 m, and a hull draught of 5 m. It displaces about 6,700 tonnes at full load.