Indian Naval Ship INS Tamal

GS III – Security

What is INS Tamal?

• INS Tamal is a Talwar-class (Krivak‑III-type) guided-missile stealth frigate acquired from Russia.

• Built at Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad, it is the eighth Talwar-class vessel and the last warship India has procured from abroad

 Project Background & Acquisition

• Under a 2016 Indo-Russian agreement, India agreed to purchase four Krivak‑III frigates—two built in Russia (INS Tushil & INS Tamal), and two to be built in India via Goa Shipyard Ltd. under a technology transfer arrangement

• INS Tushil was commissioned in December 2024; INS Tamal is scheduled for formal commission on 1 July 2025 in Kaliningrad

 Specifications & Capabilities

• Displacement: ~3,900 tonnes; Length: ~125 m

• Propulsion: Russian-built gas turbines (~44,000 hp), achieving 30+ knots

• Stealth Features: Radar, acoustic, and infrared signature suppression

• Armament:

  • BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles

  • Shtil‑1 surface-to-air missiles via VLS (vertical launch)

  • Anti-submarine torpedoes/rockets, 76 mm SRGM, and helicopter capacity with Kamov ASW/AEW choppers

• Indigenous Content: ~26% of systems sourced from Indian manufacturers (BEL, BrahMos Aerospace, Tata, etc.)

 Strategic Significance

• Blue-Water Capability: Enables multi-domain naval operations—air, surface, sub-surface, electronic warfare

• Maritime Deterrence: BrahMos and VLS SAMs enhance deterrence in Indo-Pacific and IOR

• Self-Reliance Shift: Marks end of reliance on foreign-built major warships; future vessels will be domestically built

• ‘Builder’s Navy’ Vision: Moves India from a “Buyers’ Navy” toward indigenously built fleet