INS Tushil (F 70), the latest multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate, was recently commissioned into the Indian Navy in the presence of Raksha Mantri Mr Rajnath Singh at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia on December 9th, 2024.

As per an official release from the Indian Navy INS Tushil is an upgraded Krivak III class frigates of the Project 1135.6 of which, six are already in service – three Talwar class ships, built at Baltiysky shipyard, St. Petersburg, and three follow-on Teg class ships, built at Yantar shipyard, Kaliningrad.

INS Tushil, the seventh in the series, is the first of the two upgraded additional follow-on ships, the contract for which was signed in October 2016 between JSC Rosoboronexport, Indian Navy and the Government of India.

The ship is also capable of embarking the upgraded anti-submarine and airborne early warning helicopters, the Kamov 28 and Kamov 31, which are formidable force multipliers in themselves.

The ship is powered by an advanced gas turbine propulsion plant with state-of-the-art controls and is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots In his address Raksha Mantri, described the commissioning as a proud testament to India’s growing maritime strength and a significant milestone

in the long-standing friendship between India & Russia, which are bound together by shared values, mutual trust, and special & strategic privileged partnership.

‘This ship is a big proof of the collaborative prowess of Russian and Indian industries. It exemplifies India’s journey towards technological excellence through jointmanship’ said the minister.

Reiterating the Indian Navy’s commitment to realising the Prime Minister’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), Mr Singh added that, as a first responder, the Indian Navy is always prepared to provide quick and timely humanitarian assistance & disaster relief to its friends in the region.

Similarly the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi congratulated all those involved in the project, especially the shipyard workers and all Russian and Indian Original Equipment Manufacturers for their exceptional work, flawless integration of Indian systems with Russian systems and contribution to the quality capability upgrades achieved in this project.

The ship is commanded by Captain Peter Varghese a gunnery and missile specialist.