Indigenous Stealth Frigate Himgiri Delivered to Indian Navy under Project 17A

GNS ONLINE NEWS PORTAL

SHYAM SOOD 

RAJOURI-DELHI JULY 31:-In a significant milestone towards achieving self-reliance in warship design and construction, the Indian Navy on Thursday, July 31, took delivery of Himgiri (Yard 3022)—the third ship of the Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) and the first of the class to be constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata.
Project 17A frigates are versatile, multi-mission platforms designed to address evolving maritime challenges. Himgiri is a reincarnation of the erstwhile INS Himgiri, a Leander-class frigate decommissioned on May 6, 2005, after 30 years of distinguished service.
This state-of-the-art frigate represents a quantum leap in indigenous naval design, featuring enhanced stealth, firepower, automation, and survivability. It stands as a proud symbol of India’s Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in warship building.
Designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and supervised by the Warship Overseeing Team (Kolkata), Project 17A frigates mark a generational advancement in shipbuilding. Constructed using the ‘Integrated Construction’ philosophy, Himgiri was built within the scheduled timelines using modular and ergonomic design principles.
According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), “P17A ships are equipped with an advanced weapon and sensor suite compared to the earlier P17 (Shivalik) class. These frigates are powered by Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plants, consisting of a diesel engine and a gas turbine, each driving a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP). They also feature a state-of-the-art Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).”
The weapon suite includes a supersonic Surface-to-Surface Missile system, a Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile system, a 76 mm naval gun, and Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS) comprising 30 mm and 12.7 mm rapid-fire guns.
The delivery of Himgiri showcases India’s growing capabilities in naval architecture and shipbuilding. With 75% indigenous content, the project involved over 200 MSMEs, creating direct employment for about 4,000 personnel and indirect employment for over 10,000.