INS Tushil: Symbol of India-Russia cooperation commissioned into the Indian Navy in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

INS Tushil (F 70), the latest multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in the presence of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia on December 09, 2024. Raksha Mantri, in his address, described the commissioning as a proud testament to India’s growing maritime strength and a significant milestone in the long-standing friendship between India & Russia, which are bound together by shared values, mutual trust, and special & strategic privileged partnership.

Shri Rajnath Singh 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.

Highlighting the deep ties between the Navies of India and Russia, Raksha Mantri stated that technical & operational collaboration is constantly touching new heights under the holistically growing relations between the two countries under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He reasserted the Indian Navy’s commitment to peace and security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). “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,” he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh added that, as a first responder, the Indian Navy is always prepared to provide quick and timely humanitarian assistance & disaster relief to its friends in the region. 

Reiterating the Indian Navy’s commitment to realising the Prime Minister’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), Raksha Mantri termed the vision as the backbone of India’s maritime policy, which aims to promote peace, stability & economic prosperity in IOR. “SAGAR is a symbol of India’s commitment towards collective security, maritime cooperation & sustainable development. In this commitment, we have always received Russia’s support,” he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh exuded confidence that, with new energy & 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.

Speaking on the occasion, 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 their exceptional work, flawless integration of Indian systems with Russian systems and contribution to the quality capability upgrades achieved in this project.

The event was also attended by Russian Deputy Minister of Defence Mr Alexander Vasilyevich Fomin; Governor of Kaliningrad Mr Alexey Sergeyevich Besprozvannykh; Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Aleksandr Alekseyevich Moiseyev; Ambassador of India to Russia Shri Vinay Kumar, and other senior officials from the Indian & Russian Governments, Navies, and industries.

The event was also attended by Russian Deputy Minister of Defence Mr Alexander Vasilyevich Fomin; Governor of Kaliningrad Mr Alexey Sergeyevich Besprozvannykh; Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Aleksandr Alekseyevich Moiseyev; Ambassador of India to Russia Shri Vinay Kumar; Commander Baltic Fleet of the Russian Navy Vice Admiral Vladimir Vorobyov, other senior officials from the Indian & Russian Governments, Navies, and industries.

What is INS Tushil?

INS Tushil is an upgraded Krivak III class frigates 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.

INS Tushil 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 gun 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 in excess of 30 knots. 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 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.