In a major boost to India's naval power, the Indian Navy on Tuesday officially commissioned INS Tamal (F71), its newest stealth frigate, at a commissioning ceremony at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.
The ceremony, which was witnessed by the country's top naval officials from India and Russia, highlighted not only India's growing maritime capabilities but also the long-standing defence cooperation between the two countries.
One of the main features of INS Tamal is its 26 per cent indigenous content, a manifestation of India's steadfast quest for self-reliance under the Aatmnirbharta initiative.
Equipped with sophisticated weapons, the warship is equipped with supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles that can attack targets at sea and on land. It also carries vertically launched surface-to-air missiles with greater range, 100 MM main gun, 30 MM Close-in Weapon System, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) rockets, and heavyweight torpedoes—making it a versatile multi-role war machine.
"Tamal is an integration of Russian and Indian technologies with a variety of state of the art communications and network centric operational capabilities. The addition of the advanced electronic warfare suite and advanced EO/IR systems provides ears and eyes to this powerful platform," said a Navy spokesman.
He further added, "The extremely versatile combat management system combines all sensors and weapons into a good fighting machine. The ship can also carry the upgraded Anti-submarine and Airborne Early Warning helicopters Kamov 28 and Kamov 31, which are force multipliers par excellence."
Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, commissioned the ship. Upon its induction, INS Tamal joins the Western Fleet—referred to as the Indian Navy's "Sword Arm."
In his address, Vice Admiral Singh highlighted the importance of Tamal's commissioning in enhancing India's maritime defence strength and reaffirmed the significance of the Indo-Russian strategic partnership.
He mentioned that INS Tamal now shares the ranks of the reliable Talwar, Teg, and Tushil class ships, all for their excellent operations. He also congratulated the crew of the ship and the Yantar Shipyard team on delivering an excellent warship and hosting an unforgettable commissioning ceremony.
Equipped with advanced NBC defence systems, the ship has centralised control arrangements for damage control and fire fighting, which increase its survivability and resistance capabilities in high-threat scenarios. Such integrated systems are critical in maintaining operational preparedness, minimising casualties, and restoring combat potential rapidly during operations.
A crew of around 250 sailors and 26 officers will be manning INS Tamal.
As the ship gets ready to sail on its way to its home port in Karwar, Karnataka, it is a symbol of India's resolve for a capable, watchful, and mission-ready navy—prepared to protect the country's interests in all spheres of the seas.
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