Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will commission two advanced frontline frigates, Udaygiri (F35) and Himgiri (F34), at INS Circar jetty in Visakhapatnam on August 26. This marks the first simultaneous commissioning of major surface combatants from two Indian shipyards—Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai built Udaygiri, the second Project 17A stealth frigate and the 100th ship designed by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau, while Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers in Kolkata constructed Himgiri, the first of its kind from that yard. Both frigates displace about 6,700 tonnes, are roughly five percent larger than their Shivalik-class predecessors, and feature sleeker designs with reduced radar cross sections. Powered by combined diesel or gas propulsion systems, they carry a suite of weapons including supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, a 76mm gun, close-in weapon systems, and anti-submarine weapons. After commissioning, the ships will operate from the Eastern Naval Command. The event highlights India's naval modernization and indigenous warship production capabilities. (Updated 24 Aug 2025, 23:36 IST; source: link)