India, Aug. 26 -- Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday commissioned two advanced stealth frigates - INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri -- at the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam, describing it a major step towards India's self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

The two warships, part of the Indian Navy's state-of-the-art Project 17A, mark the first time that frontline surface combatants built at two different shipyards have been commissioned simultaneously.

INS Udaygiri has been built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in Mumbai, while INS Himgiri has been built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata.

Both vessels are follow-on ships of the Shivalik-class frigates, equipped with enhanced stealth features, upgraded wea...