Kolkata/Visakhapatnam (August 26, 2025): In what can be best described as a historic moment for Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE), its indigenously built advanced guided missile frigate INS Himgiri was commissioned into the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam on Tuesday, August 26, 2025.

The 6,670-tonne, nearly 149-metre-long Himgiri is an Advanced Guided Missile Frigate armed with Barak 8 anti-aircraft and BrahMos anti-ship/land attack missiles. It is the first of three such Frigates of the Navy’s Project 17A being built by GRSE.
Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh was the Chief Guest at the occasion. 

Also present at the occasion were Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, FOC-in-C, Eastern Naval Command, Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, senior officials from the GRSE & Indian Navy, members from the Classification Societies & other organisations. 

Himgiri is a glowing example of India’s self-reliance in warship design and construction. It also speaks volumes of GRSE’s efforts to uphold the Atmanirbharta and ‘Make In India’ policies of the Government of India. The construction of the three ships of this class has actively engaged a wide network of MSMEs and created significant employment opportunities, both direct and indirect.

The Project 17A ships are versatile multi-mission platforms, designed to address current and emerging challenges in the maritime domain. This state-of-the-art frigate represents a quantum leap in naval design, stealth, firepower, automation, and survivability. Himgiri is modular, ergonomic, and was delivered within envisaged timelines despite challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The warship is powered by a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plant, comprising a diesel engine and gas turbine. This drives a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) on each shaft, and a state-of-the-art Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS). 

In his address, Shri Rajnath Singh, Hon’ble Raksha Mantri said, “If I talk about INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, the names of these warships themselves are a source of inspiration. Udaygiri, which symbolizes sunrise, reminds us that every new dawn brings new energy, new challenges, and new opportunities. On the other hand, Himgiri, which symbolizes the unyielding and immovable strength of the Himalayas, signifies that even amidst the waves of the sea, the Indian Navy stands as steadfast as the Himalayas.”

He further said, “I am fully confident that both these warships will prove to be game changers in the highly complex and risky missions carried out at sea. Our Navy is a powerful symbol of India’s maritime strength. It not only protects our coastal areas but also ensures that peace and prosperity prevail in the Indian Ocean Region.”

Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, said, “In this era filled with uncertainty and competition, the Indian Navy’s ability to deliver an overwhelming presence at sea is an incredible deterrence against India’s adversaries. Today, I would like to say that modern and state-of-the-art platforms like Udaygiri and Himgiri make us even more capable of delivering an opening knockout punch to the enemy.”

The Chief of the Naval Staff further added, “I hope that both shipyards will continue to provide greater opportunities to MSMEs and startups in the future as well. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the entire management of GRSE and MDL, along with all their employees, our designers, overseers, and industry partners, who through their exceptional craftsmanship and unwavering dedication have built these immensely powerful warships. I wish that Udaygiri and Himgiri always emerge victorious and remain invincible, forever and always.”

Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, highlighted the contribution of GRSE over the last 65 years towards indigenous warship building. “To deliver our first GT propelled warship, the largest weapon intensive platform built by us so far, ahead of schedule is a matter of great pride for Team GRSE,” he said.

INS Himgiri is the 801st ship to be built by GRSE and the 112th warship delivered. Within 14 days of the delivery of Himgiri, GRSE delivered the 802nd ship, Ikshak, the 3rd SVL to Indian Navy. At present, GRSE is constructing 14 warships. Apart from the two remaining Frigates, the shipyard is also building seven Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts, a Survey Vessel Large, and four Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels — all for