The Indian Navy will commission its latest multi-role frigate on July 1, 2025, in Russia's coastal city of Kaliningrad. Vice-Admiral Sanjay J Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, will be the Chief Guest. Many high-ranking Indian and Russian government and defence officials will be a part of the significant ceremony.
INS Tamal would be the eighth and final ship in the Krivak-class series, which was inducted from Russia over the past two decades. INS Tamal is a Tushil-class frigate, which is an upgraded version of the Talwar-class frigates, and the Talwar-class frigates are modified versions of the Krivak class frigates.
Navy to commission INS Tamal in Russia
INS Tamal is a warship that was built by the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia, as part of a project under an agreement between India and Russia. It is the last Indian warship to be built abroad. INS Tamal is a 3,900-tonne multi-role stealth frigate that is equipped with high-tech sensors and missiles, such as the supersonic cruise missiles and the BrahMos. It will be commissioned in Russia on Tuesday.
The spokesperson of the Indian Navy shared the information on X (formerly Twitter) and captioned, "#Tamal, the latest stealth multi-role frigate, is scheduled to be commissioned into the #IndianNavy on #01Jul 2025 at Kaliningrad, #Russia.With significant upgrades in its arsenal in comparison to its predecessors, Tamal punches well above its weight with a very high tonnage to firepower ratio, extended endurance, and high speeds."
About the INS Tamal agreement
INS Tamal warship is 125mm long, and it features a stunning blend of Indian and Russian technologies. Upon its commissioning, Tamal will join the Sword Arm of the Indian Navy, the Western Fleet. It will symbolise the Indian Navy's growing capabilities and the collaborative strength of the India-Russia partnership.
This warship has a 26 percent indigenous component, including the BrahMos. Brahmos is a joint venture between India and Russia, and it is named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers. INS Tamal is a part of the 2016 agreement between India and Russia for four Krivak-class frigates.
What is INS Tamal?
INS Tamal is a multi-role frigate that will be commissioned into the Indian Navy in Russia. Talking about its features, it speeds up to 30 knots and has a range of 3,00 km. It is equipped with torpedoes and a rocket system like the BrahMos missile and it can operate a multi-role helicopter for enhanced surveillance and combat.
It can also manage to escape from radar. The ship has significant upgrades in its arsenal in comparison to its predecessors, such as vertically launched surface-to-air missiles, urgent-attack anti-submarine rockets and a host of surveillance and fire control radars and systems.
Tamal is named after a mythical sword
INS Tamal is named after a mythical sword used by Lord Indra. It symbolises the weapons' power and prowess, aligning with the warship's role as a modern naval combat platform. The Indian Navy chose this name as it reflects the warship's capabilities and its role in naval operations.
The ship's mascot is inspired by the Indian mythological bear, Jambavan, and the Russian national animal, the Eurasian brown bear. It smbolises the strong friendship between the two nations.
