INS Tushil 'among world's most advanced': How it'll boost Indian Navy power

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is on an official visit to Russia, where he will be the chief guest for the commissioning of the Indian Navy's INS Tushil stealth frigate on Monday

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday will commission the Indian Navy's latest multi-role stealth guided missile frigate, the INS Tushil, at Yantar Shipyard in Russia's Kaliningrad, as part of his three-day official visit to the Russian Federation that commenced on Sunday.

 

Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, is accompanying Singh for the commissioning ceremony. During the visit, Singh and Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov will co-chair the 21st meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation in Moscow on Tuesday. 

 

 

What do we know about INS Tushil?

 

The Indian Navy is all set to commission its latest multi-role stealth guided missile frigate, INS Tushil.

 

The INS Tushil is an upgraded Krivak-III class frigate under Project 1135.6, with six vessels of the class already in service with the Indian Navy, an official release by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) recently said.

 

The six ships include three Talwar-class vessels, built at the Baltiysky Shipyard in Russia's St Petersburg, and three follow-on Teg-class vessels, built at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad.

 

The INS Tushil, the seventh in the series, is the first of two upgraded additional follow-on ships, said the MoD release. 

 

The contract for these additional vessels was signed in October 2016 between Russia's JSC Rosoboronexport, the Indian Navy, and the Government of India. According to the MoD, INS Tushil's construction has been closely monitored by an Indian team of specialists from the Warship Overseeing Team stationed at Kaliningrad, under the aegis of the Embassy of India, Moscow.

 

What capabilities will INS Tushil add to the Indian Navy?

 

The INS Tushil is a 125-metre-long, 3,900-tonne ship, packing a lethal punch and "an impressive blend of Russian and Indian cutting-edge technologies and best practices in warship construction", according to the MoD.

 

The ship also possesses a new design, which "provides it with enhanced stealth features and better stability characteristics".

 

"With the collaboration of Indian naval specialists and Russia's Severnoye Design Bureau, the indigenous content of the ship has been enhanced to an impressive 26 per cent and the number of made-in-India systems has more than doubled to 33," said the MoD. 

 

The major Indian original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) involved were BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited, Keltron, Nova Integrated Systems from Tata, Elcome Marine, Johnson Controls India, and many more.

 

How has INS Tushil performed?

 

Stating that the warship is the result of the "continuous toil of hundreds of shipyard workers, along with multiple Russian and Indian OEMs", the MoD said that the ship has already undergone "a series of extensive trials, beginning in January this year, including factory sea trials, state committee trials, and lastly delivery acceptance trials by a team of Indian specialists".

 

The MoD explained that these trials included the proving of all Russian equipment fitted onboard, including weapon firings.

During the trials, the INS Tushil clocked an impressive speed of over 30 knots. "With these trials being successfully completed, the ship would reach India in a near combat-ready condition, ready to deliver its effects from the word go," added the MoD. 

 

Why is INS Tushil vital to the Indian Navy?

 

Upon commissioning, the INS Tushil will join the "Sword Arm of the Indian Navy", the Western Fleet, under the Western Naval Command, said the MoD.

 

It will rank among "the most technologically advanced frigates in the world", it added.

 

The INS Tushil will not only be a symbol of the Indian Navy's growing capabilities, but also the "resilient collaborative strength of the India-Russia partnership".

 

What is the meaning of 'Tushil'?

 

The ship's name, Tushil, means "the protector shield", and its crest represents the "Abhedya Kavacham (impenetrable shield)", said the MoD.

 

Its motto is "Nirbhay, Abhedya aur Balsheel (Fearless, Indomitable, and Resolute)".