Key Points

The ceremony will be presided over by VAdm Sanjay J Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, as the Chief Guest, in the presence of many high-ranking Indian and Russian government and defence officials.

The ship is christened as "Tamal" and is the eighth of the series of Krivak class frigates inducted from Russia over the past two decades, with Tamal itself being the second ship of the Tushil Class, which are the upgraded versions of their predecessors, Talwar and Teg classes, having three ships each.

"India as part of the broader contract for Tushil class is also building two similar frigates called the Triput class at Goa Shipyard Limited with transfer of technology and design assistance from the Russian Side," read an official statement.

When the series of ships finishes building, the Indian Navy will be operating ten ships with similar capabilities and commonality in equipment, weapon and sensor fit over four different classes.

Tamal's construction was closely overseen by an Indian team of specialists from the Warship Overseeing Team stationed at Kaliningrad, under the aegis of the Embassy of India, Moscow.

"At Naval Headquarters, the project was steered by the Directorate of Ship Production under the Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition," the statement added.

The statement mentioned that Tamal has been built at Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia, and is the last warship to be inducted from a foreign source, while still being in line with the Centre's impetus on 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat ' and " Make in India " initiatives.

"The ship has 26 per cent of indigenous components, including the BrahMos long-range cruise missile for targeting both at sea and land. The ship has significant upgrades in its arsenal in comparison to its predecessors, such as vertical launched surface-to-air missiles, improved 100 MM gun, new age EO/IR system in addition to the standard 30 MM CIWS, heavyweight torpedoes, urgent-attack anti-submarine rockets, and a host of surveillance and fire control radars and systems," the statement added.

Force multipliers include Air Early Warning and Multi Role helicopters, which can operate from the deck of Tamal. The combat capability of the ship is augmented by a host of Network Centric Warfare capabilities and an advanced Electronic Warfare suite. Tamal punches well above its weight with a very high tonnage to firepower ratio, extended endurance, and a top speed of over 30 knots.

The frigate's crew comprises over 250 personnel who have undergone rigorous ashore as well as afloat training in extremely challenging winter conditions of St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad, Russia, the statement read.

Tamal has successively completed extensive sea trials undertaken over three months to prove its systems, weapons and sensors.

According to the statement, the ship's name symbolises the mythical sword used for combat by Indra, the King of the gods. The ship's mascot is inspired by the congruence of the 'Jambavant', the Immortal Bear King of Indian Mythology, and the Russian National Animal--the Eurasian Brown Bear.

"The ships' crew collectively takes great pride in calling themselves 'The Great Bears'. Tamal stands as a testament to the long-standing Indo-Russian cooperation and friendship, which has stood the test of time. The ships' motto, 'Sarvada Sarvatra Vijaya ' (Victorious Always Everytime), signifies the Indian Navy's undying commitment to operational excellence in every mission," according to the official statement.

The warship weighs around 3,900 tonnes and is 125 meters long, and was made in collaboration with Indian naval specialists and the Severnoye Design Bureau of Russia. enhancing indigenous content of the ship has been enhanced to 26 per cent, and also doubled the made-in-India systems to 33.

Talking about its weapons capability, the official statement mentioned, "Tamal is equipped with the latest technology in warfighting, including the BrahMos supersonic missile system for anti-ship and land-attack capabilities, Surface Surveillance Radar complex and HUMSA NG Mk II sonar with the anti-submarine weapon firing complex amongst a host of cutting-edge weapon and sensors of Indian Origin."

Notably, the ship also features modern communication and data-link systems, navigation equipment and critical infrastructure, making the ship a powerful asset for naval operations.

Upon commissioning, Tamal will join the 'Sword Arm' of the Indian Navy, the Western Fleet, under the Western Naval Command. It will not only be a symbol of the Indian Navy's growing capabilities, but also exemplify the collaborative strength of the India-Russia partnership. On December 9, INS Tushil (F 70), a multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate, was also commissioned into the Indian Navy at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad.

- ANI