Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday commissioned two multi-mission stealth frigates, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, here at the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy.

Udaygiri and Himagiri come from the Indian Navy’s latest state-of-the-art Project 17 A and the commissioning marks the first occasion when two frontline surface combatants constructed at two different shipyards were commissioned simultaneously. This development underscores the growing maritime importance of India’s eastern seaboard.

The two are follow-on ships of the Project 17 (Shivalik) class frigates, and both the vessels incorporate significant improvements in design, stealth, weapon and sensor systems, capable of executing a full spectrum of maritime missions in ‘blue water’ conditions, according to Defence officials.