NEW DELHI, July 1: The Indian Navy on Tuesday commissioned the INS Tamal (F71), a multi-role stealth guided missile frigate, at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.
Tamal is the last foreign-built major warship to be inducted into the Indian Navy, in line with the Government’s emphasis on indigenisation under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives. The last foreign-built warship was inducted into the Indian Navy as the national anthem rang out.
The ship is the eighth in the series of Project 1135.6 (also known as the Talwar class) and the second of the follow-on Tushil-class frigates. All seven previous ships of the class are part of the Navy’s Western Fleet under the Western Naval Command.
The warship is commanded by Captain Sridhar Tata, a specialist in gunnery and missile warfare. The commissioning ceremony included a joint guard of honour by personnel from the ship’s crew and Russia’s Baltic Naval Fleet. Mikhaeil Babich, Deputy Director General of the Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation of the Russian Federation, highlighted the longstanding maritime cooperation between the two nations.
Vice Admiral R. Swaminathan, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition, noted that Tamal symbolised the depth of Indo-Russian defence partnership. “The Indo-Russian strategic partnership has stood the test of time, with Tamal being the 51st ship produced under this collaboration over the past 65 years,” he said.
Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, the chief guest at the ceremony, said the commissioning of Tamal marked a key milestone in India’s maritime defence capability and bilateral ties with Russia. “INS Tamal joins the illustrious list of Talwar, Teg, and Tushil-class ships, renowned for their dependability and combat prowess,” he said.
He added that, although constructed in Russia, Tamal incorporates 26% indigenous components, including the BrahMos long-range supersonic cruise missile and the HUMSA-NG sonar system. “The construction of the next two ships of the class in India further enhances the scope and potential of synergising mutual strengths and joint capabilities,” he remarked.
Designed for blue-water operations, Tamal is capable of engaging threats across all four dimensions of naval warfare — air, surface, sub-surface, and electronic. The ship is equipped with dual-role BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, vertically launched surface-to-air missiles with extended range, a 100 mm main gun, 30 mm Close-In Weapon Systems, anti-submarine rocket launchers, and heavyweight torpedoes.
INS Tamal is part of a ₹21,000 crore defence deal signed in 2016. The vessel weighs around 3,900 tonnes and measures 125 metres from bow to stern which is roughly the length of one and a half football fields. The size allows it to carry heavy weapons, advanced sensors, and a helicopter, while still maintaining the speed and agility needed for modern naval operations.
INS Tamal has a total crew member of 250 personnel and can reach speeds exceeding 30 knots and operate over a range of roughly 3,000 km. It is equipped with an integrated combat system that blends nearly 26% indigenous Indian equipment. Offensive firepower is led by the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, capable of striking sea and land targets out to 450 km and air defence is ensured by Russia’s Shtil VLS surface-to-air missiles, supported by a rapid-fire A‑190‑01 100 mm gun and AK‑630 close-in weapon systems. Its stealth design, network-centric architecture, electronic warfare systems and EO/IR sensors underscore its modern multi-role role, the report further added.
It also features advanced automated systems for nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) defence, as well as centralised damage control and firefighting systems that can be operated from protected control posts. Tamal is expected to set sail shortly for her homeport at Karwar in Karnataka.
(Manas Dasgupta)
