The Indian Navy received INS Udaygiri, an indigenously built stealth frigate, on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, from Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL), Mumbai.
This delivery marks a historic milestone as Udaygiri becomes the 100th warship designed by the Navy’s in-house Warship Design Bureau.
The second ship under project 17A
INS Udaygiri is the second ship of the Project 17A class, a follow-on of the operational Shivalik-class (Project 17) frigates. Designed for multi-mission roles, the frigate will significantly boost India’s blue-water naval strength.
The Navy stated that these ships are built to counter both conventional and non-conventional threats across India’s maritime interests.
The new Udaygiri carries forward the legacy of its namesake, the erstwhile INS Udaygiri, a steam-powered ship decommissioned in 2007 after 31 years of service.
The new stealth frigate is a modern, more capable version, integrated with advanced technologies and platforms.
Advanced stealth and weapon systems
Fitted with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, Udaygiri showcases enhanced stealth features, offering a superior tactical advantage over its predecessors. The ship is equipped with:
- Supersonic surface-to-surface missiles
- Medium-range surface-to-air missiles
- 76 mm main gun
- 30 mm and 12.7 mm close-in weapon systems (CIWS)
The frigate also includes an Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) and Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion, driving Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP) for greater manoeuvrability and operational efficiency.
Rapid delivery through integrated construction
INS Udaygiri was delivered just 37 months after its launch, thanks to the ‘Integrated Construction’ approach.
This method involves pre-outfitting at the block stage, allowing faster build times while maintaining precision and efficiency.
The Indian Navy emphasised that the ship’s construction reflects the success of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) in the defence sector.
Over 200 Indian MSMEs contributed to the ship’s components and systems.
The project has generated direct employment for 4,000 people and indirect employment for over 10,000, underlining its impact on the defence ecosystem.
Five more P-17A ships to follow by 2026
The Navy confirmed that five additional P-17A frigates are under various stages of construction at MDSL, Mumbai and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. All are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2026.
Formerly known as the Department of Naval Design, the Warship Design Bureau has achieved complete self-reliance in warship and submarine design.
With Udaygiri’s delivery, the Bureau cements its role in building cutting-edge naval platforms, including aircraft carriers and submarines, for India’s maritime security and global projection.
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