Loading ...Russian Built Indian Warship
INS Tushil, the Indian Navy’s latest multi-role stealth guided missile frigate, has begun its maiden operation deployment following its handover from Moscow to New Delhi last week, the Indian Defense Ministry announced on Thursday.
On its way to India from Kaliningrad, the ship will navigate through the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, and ultimately the Indian Ocean, making several port calls in friendly countries.
During these visits, Tushil will engage in capability-building activities with host navies and interact with senior military and government leaders. The port calls will also provide an opportunity for engagement with the Indian diaspora in the region, the military said. “The ship will carry out joint patrolling and maritime partnership exercises with a number of navies en route, including piracy hotspots in the region,” it added.
INS Tushil, which translates as “the protector shield,” was commissioned on December 9 in the presence of Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and the chiefs of the Indian and Russian navies, Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi and Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev. Tushil is classified as an upgraded Krivak III-class frigate of Project 1135.6. Currently, six of these frigates are in service with the Indian Navy, all of them built at the Russian shipyards.
Designed by Russia’s Severnoye Design Bureau (part of United Shipbuilding Corporation), the frigate measures 125 meters in length and displaces 3,900 tons. According to the Indian military, the ship represents an “impressive blend of Russian and Indian cutting-edge technologies and best practices in warship construction.”
The construction of Tushil was closely supervised by an Indian team of specialists. Following its completion, the frigate underwent extensive trials that began in January.
INS Tushil is the first of two warships contracted by India in October 2016. The second frigate, INS Tamal, is currently undergoing testing in the Baltic Sea and is expected to join the Indian Navy in 2025. Two more vessels from this project are being constructed with Russian assistance at Goa Shipyard Limited in India, incorporating technology transfer from Russia.
This ship is a serious piece of business, carrying missiles and air defence that the US can’t match.
“It is a powerful strike package with 800 km range supersonic BrahMos (Russian-Indian derivative of P-800 Onyx) missiles and Shtil (navalized version of Buk-M2) AD system with indigenous Indian comm suite. Considering the fact that Russian-Indian Joint Venture BrahMos was working on hypersonic anti-shipping missile, it is conceivable that Indian frigates of this class will be able to carry hypersonic variants of 3M22 Zircon. Recall, that Zircon is based on P-800 Onyx and fits into 3C14 VLS installed on Talwars.”
Andrei Martyanov
The burgeoning relationship between India and Russia is disastrous for the US. No doubt, it is also worrisome for China. Putin is the Nureyev of statesmen.
I should say that Modi is doing a hell of a job in India too. He is doing his best to pull India from its backward past, and Its colonial mindset. Russia’s partnership is fundamental to India’s future. Modi understands this.