Shivalik - class frigate The " Shivalik " class or Project 17 class is a class of multi - role stealth frigate s in service with the Indian Navy . They are the first stealth warships built in India . A total of three ships were built between 2000 and 2010 , and all three were in commission by 2012 . The " Shivalik " class , along with the seven Project 17A frigates currently being developed from them , are projected be the principal frigate s of the Indian Navy in the first half of the 21st century . All ships of the class were built by Mazagon Dock Limited . The class and the lead vessel have been named for the Shivalik hills . Subsequent vessels in the class are also named for hill - ranges in India . Originally conceived as a successor to the " Talwar " - class frigates , the " Shivalik " class frigates feature improved stealth features and land attacking capabilities . Design and description . " Project 17 " was conceived in the 1990s to meet the Indian Navy ' s need for a class of stealthy frigates that were to be designed and built in India . The Directorate of Naval Design ( DND ) ' s specifications for the project called for a class of " 5000 ton stealth frigates ( Project 17 ) incorporating advanced signature suppression and signature management features " . The first three units were formally ordered by the Indian Navy in early 1999 . " Shivalik " s design embodies many firsts in Indian ships . " Shivalik " is the first Indian naval vessel to use a combined diesel or gas ( CODOG ) propulsion system . The CODOG gearboxes were designed and built by Elecon Engineering . The main features of the class are its stealth characteristics and land - attack capability . The ships incorporate structural , thermal and acoustic stealth features . The vessels use 10 gigabit LAN for their network . There has also been an increased emphasis on crew comfort in this class of ships with more spacious accommodation being provided . Also , INS " Shivalik " is the first ship in the Indian Navy with chapati - and dosa - makers on board . General characteristics and propulsion . The " Shivalik " - class frigates have a length of overall , a beam of and a draft of . The ships displace about at normal load and at full load . The complement is about 257 , including 35 officers . They use two Pielstick 16 PA6 STC Diesel engines and two GE LM2500 + boost turbines in CODOG configuration providing a total of of power . This allows the ships to reach a maximum speed of . Electronics and sensors . The " Shivalik " - class frigates are equipped with a wide range of electronics and sensors . These include : In addition , the ships use HUMSA ( hull - mounted sonar array ) , ATAS / Thales Sintra towed array systems and the BEL Ajanta Electronic Warfare suite . Armament . The " Shivalik " - class frigates are equipped with a mix of Russian , Indian and Israeli weapon systems . These include the 76mm Otobreda naval gun , Klub and BrahMos supersonic anti - ship missiles , Shtil - 1 anti - aircraft missiles , RBU - 6000 anti - submarine rocket launchers and DTA - 53 - 956 torpedo launchers . A 16 cell VLS launched Barak SAM and AK - 630 act as Close - in weapon systems ( CIWS ) . The ships also carry two HAL Dhruv or Sea King Mk . 42B helicopters . Construction and service . All the three ships of the class were constructed at the Mazagon Dock Limited . The construction of the lead ship , " Shivalik " , commenced in December 2000 . The ship ' s keel was laid in July 2001 and was launched in April 2003 . It underwent sea trials in February 2009 before being commissioned in April 2010 . The second ship , " Satpura " , was laid in October 2002 . It was launched in June 2004 and commissioned in August 2011 . The third and final ship , " Sahyadri " , was laid in September 2003 , launched in May 2005 and commissioned in July 2012 . All the three ships are named after hill - ranges in India : " Shivalik " after the Sivalik Hills , " Satpura " after the Satpura range and " Sahyadri " after the Sahyadri range commonly called Western Ghats . The lead ship of the class , INS " Shivalik " , was deployed in the North West Pacific for JIMEX 2012 ( Japan - India Maritime Exercise ) with four other ships which included INS Rana , a Rajput - class guided missile destroyer , INS Shakti , a Deepak - class fleet tanker , and INS Karmuk , a Kora - class corvette , and took part in India ' s first bi - lateral maritime exercise with Japan . The Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force ( JMSDF ) was represented by two destroyers , one maritime patrol aircraft and a helicopter . After the deployment in the north Pacific , the battle group was deployed in the South China Sea . As part of India ' s " Look East " policy , the ships visited the Shanghai port on 13 June 2012 , for a five - day goodwill tour . INS " Shakti " served as the fuel and logistics tanker to the three destroyers . The ships left the port on 17 June 2012 . Before leaving the port , the ships conducted a routine passage exercise with the People ' s Liberation Army Navy . The second ship , INS " Satpura " , participated in the Malabar 2012 exercise with the United States Navy along with the Indian destroyers " Ranvir " , " Ranvijay " , corvette INS " Kulish " and replenishment oiler INS " Shakti " . The other ships which participated in the exercise included Carrier Strike Group ( CSG ) 1 of the US Navy , consisting of : USS " Carl Vinson " , embarked Carrier Air Wing ( CVW ) 17 , the " Ticonderoga " - class guided - missile cruiser USS " Bunker Hill " and the " Arleigh Burke " - class guided - missile destroyer USS " Halsey " . Military Sealift Command ' s fast combat support ship USNS " Bridge " also provided support for the exercise .