Rajnath Singh called them ‘floating F-35’: Know all about INS Himgiri and INS Udaygiri

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday lauded the Indian Navy’s newly commissioned stealth frigates, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, calling them the “floating F-35,” a reference to the fifth-generation U.S. stealth fighter jet F-35.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony at the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam, Singh said: “I want to congratulate the Navy for one more thing… Today, you have launched the indigenous F-35 warship. One nation has a flying F-35, and you have built a floating F-35— that too, Made in India.”

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He described the induction of the stealth frigates as a giant stride towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), calling them a testament to the government’s commitment to defence indigenization.

“INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri are shining examples of our firm resolve towards self-reliance—symbols of a transformative movement, and proof that the nation will reach greater heights with the concerted efforts of all stakeholders,” Singh added.

He further asserted that the commissioning not only strengthens the Indian Navy’s combat capabilities but also reinforces its role as a first responder and a preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean Region.

“From combating piracy, smuggling, and maritime terrorism to providing relief after natural disasters, these warships will prove to be game-changers in complex and high-risk operations,” he said.

INS Himgiri and INS Udaygiri: Know all about them

Part of the Indian Navy’s Project 17A, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri follow INS Nilgiri, the lead ship of the successor class to Project 17 (Shivalik class).

Their key features include stealth technology with reduced radar signatures, advanced surveillance radars and electronic warfare suites, supersonic surface-to-surface missiles and surface-to-air missiles, rapid-fire gun systems, next-generation weapons and sensors for anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare.

They are equipped with next-generation weapons, sensors and integrated platform management systems.

The warships feature Combined Diesel or Gas propulsion plants and a state-of-the-art Integrated Platform Management System, enabling higher speeds and improved fuel efficiency.

In a first for the Navy, two frontline surface combatants constructed indigenously at two different shipyards — INS Udaygiri at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, and INS Himgiri at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata, were commissioned simultaneously.