INS Tushil
Kaliningrad: INS Tushil (F 70), a multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia, today. The event was also attended by Russian Deputy Minister of Defence Alexander Vasilyevich Fomin; Governor of Kaliningrad Alexey Sergeyevich Besprozvannykh; Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Aleksandr Alekseyevich Moiseyev; Ambassador of India to Russia Vinay Kumar, and other senior officials from the Indian and Russian Governments, Navies, and industries.
INS Tushil is an upgraded Krivak III class frigate of Project 1135.6 of which, six are already in service – three Talwar class ships, built at Baltiysky shipyard, St. Petersburg, and three follow-on Teg class ships, built at Yantar shipyard, Kaliningrad.
INS Tushil, the seventh in the series, is the first of the two upgraded additional follow-on ships, the contract for which was signed in October 2016 between JSC Rosoboronexport, the Indian Navy and the Government of India. It is designed for blue water operations across the spectrum of naval warfare in all four dimensions air, surface, underwater and electromagnetic. It is armed with a range of advanced weapons, including the jointly-developed Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles, vertically-launched Shtil Surface-to-Air Missiles with enhanced ranges, upgraded medium-range anti-air and surface guns with advanced stealth features, optically-controlled close-range rapid-fire gun system, anti-submarine torpedoes and rockets and advanced electronic warfare and communication suite.
The ship is also capable of embarking the upgraded anti-submarine and airborne early warning helicopters, the Kamov 28 and Kamov 31, which are formidable force multipliers in themselves. The ship is powered by an advanced gas turbine propulsion plant with state-of-the-art controls and is capable of achieving speeds above 30 knots. The high degree of automation and stealth features further enhance its combat capability and survivability. The ship is commanded by Captain Peter Varghese a gunnery and missile specialist.
The ship’s keel was laid on July 12, 2013, and was launched in water in October 2021. The ship sailed out for her maiden sea trials on January 25, 2024, and completed an exhaustive schedule of factory trials followed by state committee trials and finally the delivery acceptance trials, both in the harbour and at sea, by September 24, 2024. The ship has successfully carried out firing trials of all her Russian weapon systems and would reach India in near combat-ready condition.
Singh described the commissioning as a proud testament to India’s growing maritime strength and a significant milestone in the long-standing friendship between India and Russia, “which are bound together by shared values, mutual trust, and special and strategic privileged partnership”. He termed Russia’s support of India’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ as another important example of deep friendship between India and Russia. “Made in India content is continuously increasing in many ships including INS Tushil. The ship is a big proof of the collaborative prowess of Russian and Indian industries. It exemplifies India’s journey towards technological excellence through jointmanship,” he added.
The Indian Defence Minister exuded confidence that, with new energy and enthusiasm, India and Russia will realise the full potential of its cooperation in the coming times. He emphasised that the two countries will not only strengthen the existing areas of collaboration but also give priority to working in new and unexplored areas. “India and Russia will enter a new era of cooperation by taking advantage of each other’s expertise in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Space Exploration and Counter-Terrorism,” he said.
– global bihari bureau
