INS Tamal, Last Foreign-Built Navy Ship, Commissioned

Multi-role stealth guided missile frigate INS Tamal (F71) has been commissioned by the Indian Navy in the Yantar Shipyard at Kaliningrad in Russia. This vessel will be the final foreign made large warship to join the Indian navy reflecting the move towards indigenisation with the governments Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India policy. INS Tamal is the eight container of Talwar class and further enhances the marine security of India.

Context

• The INS Tamal is the final world-constructed big vessel in the Indian Navy, thus boosting the Indian navy. 

• It has modern weapons and portrays the level of Indo-Russian defence relations.

Key Details:

Ship Commissioning:

• Guided missile frigate INS Tamal was inducted in Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad, Russia.

• It also becomes the last to be inducted as a major warship built abroad by the Indian Navy and thus ushers an end to an era of the Indian Navy which operated foreign built fleets.

Indigenisation Focus:

• The Introduction of Tamal is closely linked to the indigenisation drive that India has taken with Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.

Ship Specifications:

• Tamal belongs to Project 1135.6 (Talwar class) and is armed with modern weapons, BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.

• It also has the capability to do fort-sea operations and can fight against threats in the air, on the surface, in the submarine, and in electronic warfare.

Indo-Russian Cooperation:

• The commissioning of the ship underlines the long story of maritime cooperation between India and Russia who have jointly manufactured 51 ships in the last 65 years.

Leadership and Meaning:

• Captain Sridhar Tata a gunnery expert and expert in missile warfare is the commanding officer of the warship.

• It became a great moment in the advances in the defence capabilities of India and in securing bilateral relationships between India and Russia with Vice Admiral R. Swaminathan, and Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh.

Other similar Foreign built navy ships

Prior to the INS Tamal various other warships based on foreign construction were inducted into the Indian navy mostly of the series of Talwar, built at Russian ship building factories. These include:

• INS Talwar (F40): The pack leader of the group that was commissioned on June 18, 2003. 

• INS Trikand (F51): It was commissioned June 29, 2013. 

• INS Tarkash (F50): Commissioned: 9 November 2012 

• INS Tabar ( F44 ) Commissioned on April 19, 2004.

Conclusion:

The commissioning of INS Tamal, not only enhances Indian naval strength, but also marks the importance of the Indo-Russian defence relations which happens to be long-standing. This is one step towards propelling India into self-reliance in production of defence.