News Brief
INS Tamal: All About Indian Navy’s New Multi-Role Stealth Frigate Designed For Four-Dimensional Warfare With BrahMos, SAMs And More
INS Tamal
INS Tamal (F71), the Indian Navy’s newest stealth frigate, was commissioned on Tuesday (1 July) at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia, marking a key milestone in the country’s maritime modernisation.
With this, India has inducted its eighth Project 1135.6 frigate, and its last foreign-built major surface combatant, as construction of future ships in the class shifts fully to Indian shipyards.
Commissioned in Russia, Headed to Karwar
The commissioning ceremony was presided over by Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command.
Senior Indian and Russian officials, including Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan and Vice Admiral Sergie Lipin, were present.
INS Tamal was launched on 24 February 2022 and began her maiden sea trials in November 2024.
Named after The ship completed Factory Trials, State Committee Trials, and Delivery Acceptance Trials — both in harbour and at sea — by June 2025, before its formal induction.
The ship enters service in combat-ready condition and will now sail to its homeport at Karwar, Karnataka, making several port calls en route.
Firepower Across Domains
With a top speed exceeding 30 knot, the 125-metre long, 3,900-tonne frigate boasts a high tonnage-to-firepower ratio, featuring cutting-edge Indian and Russian technologies.
Designed for blue water operations, INS Tamal integrates offensive and defensive capabilities across the spectrum of naval warfare in all four dimensions - air, surface, underwater and electromagnetic.
Its primary weapon systems include:
BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles (dual-role: anti-ship and land attack)
Shtil-1 vertical launch surface-to-air missile system
100 mm main gun and 30 mm Close-In Weapon System
Anti-submarine rocket launchers and heavyweight torpedoes
The ship is capable of embarking Kamov-28 (anti-submarine) and Kamov-31 (airborne early warning) helicopters, giving it extended situational awareness and strike range.
Advanced Sensors and EW Suite
INS Tamal incorporates several advanced Indian and Russian technologies, including:
Humsa-NG sonar system (indigenously developed)
Network-centric combat management system integrating all weapons and sensors
It is also equipped with automated nuclear, biological, and chemical defence systems, with centralised control for damage control and fire-fighting — enhancing survivability in high-threat environments.
Strategic Context: Last Foreign-Built Ship
Tamal is the second ship of the Tushil-class, following INS Tushil which was commissioned in December 2024.
It is also the final foreign-built ship in the long-standing Indo-Russian frigate programme that began over two decades ago.
This marks the 51st ship delivered under Indo-Russian naval collaboration — a partnership that has now entered a new phase.
The remaining ships in the Tushil-class will be built in Indian shipyards, in alignment with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.
INS Tamal is the eighth Krivak-class frigate acquired by India from Russia over two decades and the second ship in the upgraded Tushil-class, following the earlier Talwar and Teg-class variants.
Under the broader contract, two additional ships of similar design are being constructed at Goa Shipyard Limited.
Constructed under the close watch of the Indian Warship Overseeing Team in Kaliningrad, the ship integrates 26 per cent indigenous components—more than double the earlier class—supplied by Indian firms such as BrahMos Aerospace, BEL, Keltron, Tata’s Nova Systems, and others.
The ship’s project was led in India by the Directorate of Ship Production under the Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition.
Crew, Motto and Role
The ship’s name, Tamal, is inspired by the mythical weapon of Lord Indra, and its mascot blends Jambavant, the Immortal Bear King of Ramayana, with the Eurasian Brown Bear, symbolising Indo-Russian synergy.
The crew, identifying as ‘The Great Bears’, have trained under harsh Russian winter conditions and completed three months of sea trials.
Manned by 26 officers and around 250 sailors, Tamal will operate under the Western Fleet, the Indian Navy’s primary strike formation in the Arabian Sea.
The ship’s motto — "Sarvatra Sarvada Vijaya" (Victory Always, Everywhere) — reflects its role in forward-deployed operations across the Indian Ocean and beyond.
Vice Admiral Singh described Tamal as “versatile", "force multiplier” platform and praised its seamless integration of Indian and Russian systems.
He emphasised that such platforms significantly enhance the Navy’s reach, responsiveness, and resilience, keeping it combat-ready across theatres.
