Indian Navy to commission last foreign-built warship ‘Tamal’ in Russia; packs BrahMos, advanced sensors

The Indian Navy is set to commission its latest stealth multi-role frigate, Tamal, on July 1 at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.

Tamal is the eighth frigate to be inducted into the Navy under the Krivak class series over the last two decades and is the second ship of the upgraded Tushil class.

The 125-metre-long frigate, with a displacement of 3,900 tonnes, will be the last warship to have been built outside India, in line with the government’s focus on Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the Make in India initiative.

Under a bilateral agreement, India is also building two similar vessels domestically, named the Triput class, at Goa Shipyard Limited with Russian design support and technology transfer.

Tamal incorporates 26% indigenous content, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which provides both land-attack and anti-ship capabilities.

It is equipped with an array of modern weaponry and sensors, including vertically launched surface-to-air missiles, an upgraded 100mm gun, 30mm close-in weapon systems (CIWS), heavyweight torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) systems, and a sophisticated suite of radars and fire control systems.

It can also deploy airborne early warning and multi-role helicopters, enhancing its operational envelope.

The frigate also features Indian-origin technologies such as the HUMSA NG Mk II sonar, Surface Surveillance Radar complex, and a wide range of communications, navigation, and electronic warfare systems.

Major Indian firms contributing to Tamal’s indigenous systems include BrahMos Aerospace, Bharat Electronics Ltd, Keltron, Tata’s Nova Integrated Systems, Elcome Marine, and Johnson Controls India, among others.

The number of Indian-developed systems onboard has more than doubled to 33 compared to previous iterations.

An Indian team from the Warship Overseeing Team in Kaliningrad, functioning under the Embassy of India in Moscow, oversaw the construction process.

The crew of over 250 personnel underwent rigorous training in harsh winter conditions in St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad and successfully completed a comprehensive three-month sea trial phase, validating the ship’s combat systems and endurance capabilities. The ship is capable of reaching speeds exceeding 30 knots.