On May 17, Rajnath Singh launched the India-built warships INS Surat and INS Udaygiri in Mumbai

*Paromita Das
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh launched two indigenously built frontline warships today, May 17, at Mazagon Docks in Mumbai, adding more power to the Indian Navy.

The warships were designed at the Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built entirely at MDL: the Project 15B destroyer INS Surat and the Project 17A frigate INS Udaygiri.

“The frontline warships, ‘Surat’ (Project 15B Destroyer) and ‘Udaygiri’ (Project 17A Frigate), are “next generation stealth guided missile destroyers,” according to an official statement from the Defense Ministry.

According to the Ministry, the warships are a “true testament of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” as approximately 75 percent of the orders for warship equipment and systems were given to indigenous firms, including micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Two native Indian Navy warships

INS Surat is the fourth destroyer in Project 15B, which is named after Western India’s second-largest commercial hub. The ship was built using block construction, with the hull being built in two different geographical locations before being assembled at Mazagon Docks Limited.

While INS Udaygiri is the third ship in Project 17A Frigates, it is named after the Andhra Pradesh mountain ranges. The “reincarnation” of a previous edition of Udaygiri, the warship is outfitted with advanced weapons, sensors, and platform management systems. It should be noted that many difficult operations were observed in previous editions spanning three decades, from 18 February 1976 to 24 August 2007.

According to the Defense Ministry, the Indian Navy currently consists of approximately 150 ships and submarines, with more than 50 ships and submarines under construction.
In December 2021, Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar stated that in the previous seven years, India built all 28 ships and submarines commissioned into the Navy in accordance with ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat.’ He also stated that 37 of the 39 naval vessels and ships under construction are being built in Indian shipyards.