INS Udaygiri, Key Features, Capabilities and Strategic Significance

Context: Recently, Yard 12652, named Udaygiri, constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL), was officially handed over to the Indian Navy.

About INS Udaygiri

Background & Construction

• INS Udaygiri (Yard 12652) is the second of seven frigates being built under Project 17A (P-17A).
• Constructed at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL), Mumbai, and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.

Lineage

• Project 17A is the successor to the Shivalik-class (Project 17)
• The current INS Udaygiri revives the legacy of the erstwhile INS Udaygiri, a steam-powered ship decommissioned in 2007 after 31 years of service.

Capabilities

• Designed as multi-mission frigates, capable of operating in ‘Blue Water’ naval environments.
• Equipped to counter both conventional and unconventional threats, especially in India’s maritime zones.

Key Features of Project 17A Frigates

• Hull design is 54% larger than the Shivalik-class (P-17).
• Enhanced stealth and sleekness, with advanced weapon and sensor suites.
• Uses Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion, including:
  • Diesel engine + Gas turbine.
  • Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP).
  • Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) for automation and efficiency.

Weapons & Sensors

• Supersonic Surface-to-Surface missiles.
• Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM)
• 76 mm naval gun, plus 30 mm and 12.7 mm rapid-fire close-in weapon systems.
• Most weapon systems and sensors are sourced from indigenous manufacturers (OEMs).

Strategic Significance

• Boosts self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
• Promotes economic development, employment, and growth of MSMEs and the naval industrial ecosystem in India.

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