Multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate INS Tushil joins India Navy

 In what has been billed as "a proud testament to India’s growing maritime strength and a significant milestone in long-standing bilateral relations with Russia", the multi-role stealth guided missile frigate of the Indian Navy, INS Tushil, was commissioned at the Kaliningrad-based Yantar shipyard.

The warship was commissioned on Monday in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Delighted to attend the commissioning ceremony of INS Tushil, the latest multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate, Singh, who is in Russia for a two-day visit, said in a tweet.

In his address at the event, Singh termed Russia’s support to India’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ as another important example of deep friendship between the two countries. “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 said.

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INS Tushil will now join the Western Fleet of the Navy and will rank amongst the most technologically advanced frigates in the world. It is expected to significantly boost the Indian Navy's operational capability in the Indian Ocean at a time when the region is witnessing increasing forays by China's PLA Navy.

Reasserting Indian Navy's commitment to to peace and security in the Indian Ocean Region, the defence minister said,“Our Navy has foiled the designs of piracy, arms and drug smugglers and non-state actors in various hotspots. From the Gulf of Oman to the Gulf of Aden, from Suez to Malacca & from Australia to Madagascar, the Indian Navy is playing the essential role of a net security provider in IOR. India, along with its friendly countries, believes in ensuring that maritime trade in the region remains safe and secure, thereby promoting unhindered trade across the sea."

The warship has been constructed in Russia as part of an over $2.5-billion deal that India inked with Russia in 2016 for four stealth frigates for the Indian Navy. The warship's construction was closely monitored by an Indian team of specialists from the 'Warship Overseeing Team' stationed at Kaliningrad.

Boasting enhanced stealth features and better stability characteristics, the 3,900-tonne ship with a length of 125 metres, packs a lethal punch and is an impressive blend of Russian and Indian cutting-edge technologies and best practices in warship construction.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi congratulated all those involved in the project, especially the shipyard workers and all Russian and Indian Original Equipment Manufacturers for the flawless integration of Indian systems with Russian systems and contribution to the quality capability upgrades achieved in this project.