Indian Navy Commissions the First Upgraded Talwar class Frigate- INS Tushil
Indian Navy commissioned INS Tushil at Yantar Shipyard in Russia on December 9, 2024. INS Tushil is the first of two upgraded additional follow-on ships ordered by India, for which the contract was signed in October 2016 between JSC Rosoboronexport, the Indian Navy and the Government of India. The contract for the two vessels was signed for around $1 billion in 2016 with another contract for two frigates signed in October 2018 for 14,100 crore ($1.95 billion). The second contract includes the cost of upgrading the facilities at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) and the licensing fee as they are being built in India.
The ship was laid down in July 2013 for the Russian Navy but faced issues with the supply of the ship’s engine as Ukraine sanctioned Russia for the invasion in 2014. Two of the Project 1135.6 frigates were then bought by India to supplement the growth of its fleet. It was launched in October 2021 and sailed out for maiden sea trials in January 2024. The ship completed its final trial on September 24, 2024, but commissioning was delayed due to the availability of senior officials for the ceremony. The second ship built at Yantar is expected to be delivered around March 2025.
The ship features a new setup for ship air defence with the 24 vertically launched Shtil1 (9M317ME) surface-to-air missiles replacing the single-arm launcher for Shtil (9M317E). It can house up to eight BrahMos SSM in the UVLM launcher replacing the Russian UKSK VLS in the older ships. It also has an Indian electronic warfare and communication suite. The vessel has an Indian content of around 26% by value and 33% by volume. The ship has a range of over 4,000 miles and a maximum speed of over 30 knots.
India now has 13 frigates in its fleet with 10 more under various stages of construction and trial. The Indian Ministry of Defence has cleared the proposal for seven more frigates under Project-17 Bravo, a successor to the Nilgiri class frigates. The Indian Navy is well placed to act as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region by adding more advanced ships and platforms.