The Indian Navy took a major step in boosting its maritime strength by commissioning two new warships on Tuesday. Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh officially inducted the stealth multirole frigate INS Tamal at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.
Describing the induction as a major milestone, Singh said, “The commissioning of versatile platforms like INS Tamal enhances the Indian Navy’s reach, responsiveness, and resilience. I am confident that the ship will prove its mettle as a force multiplier in our operational architecture, towards safeguarding national maritime interests and promoting maritime security.”
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According to the Indian Navy, “INS Tamal is a formidable moving fortress at sea and is designed for blue water operations across the spectrum of naval warfare in all four dimensions — air, surface, underwater and electromagnetic.” Once it reaches Mumbai in September, it will join the Western Fleet.
India has imported Tamal as its last foreign-built warship under the push for indigenous defence manufacturing. This move aligns with the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India policies. Over the past 20 years, India has inducted eight Krivak-class frigates from Russia. Under a $2.5 billion deal, Russia is building two upgraded Krivak III-class ships. All this, while Goa Shipyard Limited is constructing the remaining two.
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The 3,900-tonne INS Tamal features a 26% indigenous content, double that of previous ships. Thirty-three Indian firms, including Bharat Electronics Limited, BrahMos Aerospace, and Tata’s Nova Integrated Systems, contributed to the warship. The Navy equipped it with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Shtil surface-to-air missiles, anti-air and surface guns, torpedoes, and rapid-fire gun systems. A crew of 250 sailors and 26 officers operates the vessel.
Alongside this, Udaygiri, the second ship in the P-17A class, was delivered in Mumbai. Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, it follows the commissioning of INS Nilgiri, INS Vaghsheer, and Surat. Udaygiri will officially join the service in August.
The P-17A class is a significant upgrade to the earlier Shivalik class, with better stealth, advanced sensors, and modular construction. “The ships represent a quantum leap in the Indian Navy’s in-house design capabilities,” the Navy stated, highlighting that Udaygiri was delivered in a record 37 months using integrated construction methods.