Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the commissioning ceremony of INS Tushil in Kaliningrad, Russia today

On Monday, Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh was present at the INS Tushil Commissioning Ceremony in Kaliningrad, Russia.

The Defense Minister’s Office said on X that “Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh attending the Commissioning Ceremony of #INSTushil at Kaliningrad, Russia.”

According to a previous press release from the Ministry of Defense, INS Tushil is an upgraded Krivak III class frigate of Project 1135.6, of which six are currently in service: three Talwar class ships, constructed at the Baltisky shipyard in St. Petersburg, and three follow-on Teg class ships, constructed at the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad.

According to the announcement, JSC Rosoboronexport, the Indian Navy, and the Government of India inked a deal in October 2016 for the purchase of INS Tushil, the seventh ship in the series and the first of two improved extra follow-on ships.

Delighted to attend the Commissioning Ceremony of #INSTushil, the latest multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate, at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad (Russia).

The ship is a proud testament to India’s growing maritime strength and a significant milestone in long-standing… pic.twitter.com/L6Pok31wQJ

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) December 9, 2024

Under the auspices of the Indian Embassy in Moscow, an Indian team of experts from the Warship Overseeing Team based in Kaliningrad kept a careful eye on the ship’s development.
In a previous news release, the Ministry of Defense said, “The warship is the result of the continuous toil of hundreds of shipyard workers along with multiple Russian and Indian OEMs.”

Beginning in January of this year, a team of Indian experts conducted a number of comprehensive tests on the ship once it was constructed and made ready, including Factory Sea Trials, State Committee Trials, and Delivery Acceptance Trials.

All Russian equipment installed on board, including weapon firings, was tested during these trials. The ship achieved a remarkable speed of over 30 knots during the testing. If these tests were successful, the ship would arrive in India in a state that was almost fit for battle, ready to start working right away.

Its name, Tushil, means ‘the protective shield’, and its crest symbolizes the ‘Abhedya Kavacham’ (impenetrable shield), according to the Ministry of Defence. ‘Nirbhay, Abhedya aur Balsheel’ (Fearless, Indomitable, Resolute) is the Indian Navy’s slogan, and the ship represents the Navy’s unwavering dedication to defending the country’s maritime borders.

This 3900-ton, 125-meter ship is a deadly combination of Indian and Russian advanced technology and best practices for building warships. The ship has improved stability and stealth properties thanks to its redesigned design.

The number of made-in-India systems has more than quadrupled to 33, and the ship’s indigenous content has increased to an outstanding 26% thanks to the cooperation of Indian military experts and Severnoye Design Bureau. Among the leading Indian OEMs engaged were Johnson Controls India, Elcome Marine, Bharat Electronics Limited, Keltron, Nova Integrated Systems from Tata, and BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.

“INS Tushil will become one of the world’s most technologically sophisticated frigates upon commissioning, joining the Western Fleet, the Indian Navy’s ‘Sword Arm’ under the Western Naval Command. It will serve as a testament to the Indian Navy’s expanding capabilities as well as the enduring strength of the alliance between Russia and India,” the Ministry of Defense said.

On Sunday night, Rajnath Singh landed in Moscow. Late on Sunday evening, Russian Deputy Minister of Defense Alexander Fomin and Indian Ambassador to Russia Venkatesh Kumar gave him a hearty welcome.

‘The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier’ in Moscow is another place Singh will visit to honor Soviet troops who lost their lives in World War II. According to a statement, he will also engage with the Indian community.

Singh and Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov will co-chair the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC M&MTC) and have important talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Indian Embassy in Russia said on X that the purpose of this visit is to further strengthen defense cooperation between India and Russia in accordance with the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.