INS Tushil, on her maiden passage around the West coast of Africa, reached Port Victoria, Seychelles, for an operational turnaround. This visit by INS Tushil seeks to advance the strong relationship between the two Indian Ocean Region (IOR) nations.

Key points on INS Tushil:

• Indian Navy’s Russian-manufactured guided missile frigate INS Tushil was commissioned into the force in December 2024.

• INS Tushil is an upgraded Krivak III class frigate of Project 1135.6, of which, six are already in service – three Talwar class ships, built at Baltiysky shipyard, St. Petersburg, and three follow-on Teg class ships, built at Yantar shipyard, Kaliningrad. 

• INS Tushil, the seventh in the series, is the first of the two upgraded additional follow-on ships.

• INS Tushil has been constructed in Russia as part of an over $2.5-billion deal that New Delhi had inked with Moscow in 2016 for four stealth frigates for the Indian Navy.

• The ship’s name, ‘Tushil’, means “the protector shield” and its crest represents the ‘Abhedya Kavacham’ (impenetrable shield). 

• Along with its motto, ‘Nirbhay, Abhedya aur Balsheel’ (Fearless, Indomitable, Resolute), the ship stands as a symbol of the Indian Navy’s undying commitment to protect and safeguard the nation’s maritime frontiers.

• The 3,900-tonne ship with a length of 125 metres packs a lethal punch and is an impressive blend of Russian and Indian cutting edge technologies and best practices in warship construction.

• It is designed for blue water operations across the spectrum of naval warfare in all four dimensions air, surface, underwater and electromagnetic. It is armed with a range of advanced weapons, including the jointly-developed BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, vertically-launched Shtil Surface-to-Air Missiles with enhanced ranges, upgraded medium-range anti-air and surface gun with advanced stealth features, optically-controlled close-range rapid fire gun system, anti-submarine torpedoes and rockets and advanced electronic warfare and communication suite.

• The ship’s new design provides it with enhanced stealth features and better stability characteristics. 

• With the collaboration of Indian naval specialists and Severnoye Design Bureau, the indigenous content of the ship has been enhanced to an impressive 26 per cent.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)