INS Tamal commissioned into Indian Navy

he Indian Navy today commissioned INS Tamal (F 71), a multi-role stealth frigate, at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia. This marks a significant milestone in India’s ongoing efforts to enhance its maritime defence capabilities and strengthen its strategic partnership with Russia.

Key Highlights of INS Tamal:

• Eighth in Series: INS Tamal is the eighth multi-role stealth frigate in the Project 1135.6 series, also known as the Talwar-class.
• Second of Tushil Class: It is the second of the additional follow-on Tushil class of ships, following INS Tushil which was commissioned on December 9, 2024.
• Strategic Collaboration: The commissioning underscores the enduring Indo-Russian defence cooperation, with INS Tamal being the 51st ship produced under this collaborative effort over the past 65 years. This highlights the ability of both nations to integrate technologies into a single combat platform.
• Western Fleet Augmentation: All seven Project 1135.6 ships inducted so far, including INS Tamal, are part of the Western Fleet, often referred to as ‘The Sword Arm’ of the Indian Navy under the Western Naval Command.
• Command: The ship is commanded by Capt Sridhar Tata, a specialist in gunnery and missile warfare.

Formidable Capabilities:

• Multi-Dimensional Warfare: INS Tamal is designed for blue water operations across the entire spectrum of naval warfare in all four dimensions: air, surface, underwater, and electromagnetic. This makes it a formidable moving fortress at sea.
• Advanced Armament: The frigate boasts a powerful arsenal, including:
  • Dual-role BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles (capable of anti-ship and land-attack operations).
  • Vertically launched surface-to-air missiles with extended ranges (like Shtil-1).
  • Standard 30 mm Close-in Weapon System (CIWS).
  • 100 mm Main gun.
  • Potent Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) rockets and heavyweight torpedoes.
• Technological Amalgamation: INS Tamal represents a blend of Indian and Russian technologies, incorporating state-of-the-art communication and network-centric operational capabilities. It is also equipped with advanced electronic warfare suites and EO/IR (Electro-Optical/Infra-Red) systems for enhanced surveillance and targeting.
• NBC Defence: The ship features complex automated systems for nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) defence, including centrally operated damage control and fire-fighting systems.
• Helicopter Operations: It is capable of embarking upgraded Anti-Submarine Warfare (Kamov 28) and Airborne Early Warning (Kamov 31) helicopters, which act as significant force multipliers.
• Indigenous Content: While built in Russia, INS Tamal incorporates approximately 26% indigenous components, including the BrahMos missile system and the HUMSA-NG sonar.