India commissions INS Tushil, a symbol of naval collaboration
The missile frigate INS Tushil has been commissioned into the Indian Navy. This ship was built in Russia and was originally planned to serve in the Russian Navy. However, Moscow had to alter its plans because, as a result of the aggression against Ukraine, it lost access to necessary components.
The commissioning ceremony for INS Tushil into the Indian Navy took place on 9th December at the Yantar shipyard in the Kaliningrad Oblast. High-ranking government representatives from Russia and India participated in the event. As noted by the navalnews portal, INS Tushil is the seventh ship of this class (Talwar-class frigates) in the Indian Navy, but its history is considerably more interesting than that of the previous ships.
INS Tushil enters into service, but not in the Russian army
The previous six Talwar-class frigates were produced for India in a "normal mode." INS Tushil, however, is a ship whose construction began in 2013 with the Russian Navy in mind. The hindrance turned out to be sanctions imposed on Russia by Ukraine after the annexation of Crimea in 2014. To add to the complexity, navalnews reminds us that it was supposed to join the Black Sea Fleet.
This is because the propulsion system of INS Tushil consists of gas turbines produced by the Ukrainian company Zorya-Mashproekt located in Mykolaiv. The Russians were cut off from these, as well as several other Ukrainian components and service support.
The most sensible option for Moscow was to offer INS Tushil to the Indian authorities. They committed to supplying the propulsion system and other necessary parts so that the work on INS Tushil could be completed. It is unclear where all the components transferred to Russia come from, but statements from the Indian defence minister suggest that at least some of them result from the work of local companies.
Indian authorities emphasise the significant involvement of their industry
"The 'Made in India' content is steadily increasing on many ships, and it is also evident on INS Tushil. The ship is a great testimony to the interdependence of the Russian and Indian industries," said the Indian defence minister during the ceremony in Kaliningrad.
Like other ships of this class, INS Tushil is nearly 125 metres long and has a displacement of about 4,500 tonnes. However, it differs from its predecessors due to the use of a greater number of systems produced in India. The portal navalnews lists that these include sonar systems, some radars, communication systems, as well as launchers for depth charges. Among the weaponry carried by this vessel are expected to be Indian PJ-10 BrahMos cruise missiles.
The Russians are working on two more ships of this type. One of them (Tamala) is in the outfitting stage and is expected to share the fate of INS Tushil. The other is at an early stage of construction, and at this moment, it is not clear whether it will ultimately be delivered to India.
