Published: December 10, 2024 9:05 am
Author: RT
Indian military hails defense ties with Russia, emphasizing their role in New Delhi’s “journey towards technological excellence”
India has received another Project 11356 stealth frigate built by Russia, with military officials from both nations hailing the “deep friendship” and “growing relations between the two countries.”
On Monday, Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport handed over the Tushil, which was built at the Kaliningrad Yantar Shipyard, in the presence of Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.
Highlighting the deep ties between the navies of India and Russia, Singh stated that technical and operational collaboration is constantly “touching new heights” under the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The commissioning of the seventh Project 11356 frigate in the Indian Navy is a testament to the country’s growing maritime strength and a milestone in the longstanding friendship between India and Russia, which are bound together by shared values, mutual trust, and a special and strategic privileged partnership, Singh said. “The ship is a big proof of the collaborative prowess of Russian and Indian industries. It exemplifies India’s journey towards technological excellence through jointmanship.”
Singh added that the two countries will not only strengthen the existing areas of collaboration but also give priority to working in new and unexplored areas.
Delighted to attend the Commissioning Ceremony of #INSTushil, the latest multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate, at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad (Russia).
The ship is a proud testament to India’s growing maritime strength and a significant milestone in long-standing… pic.twitter.com/L6Pok31wQJ
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) December 9, 2024
The 3,900-tonne ship, with a length of 125 meters, is armed with a range of advanced weapons, including supersonic cruise missiles, surface-to-air missiles with enhanced ranges, upgraded medium-range anti-air and surface guns with advanced stealth features, an optically controlled close-range rapid-fire gun system, anti-submarine torpedoes and rockets, and an advanced electronic warfare and communication suite. The ship’s keel was laid in July 2013, and it was launched into the water in October 2021.
The ceremony in Kaliningrad was attended by the Indian Navy chief, Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, his Russian counterpart, Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev, and other senior military officials and diplomats.
“The Indian Navy and the Navy of the Russian Federation share special ‘bonds of brotherhood.’ We are comrades! My generation of Indian Navy officers grew up in service reading Russian technical and tactical documents, operating Russian equipment, firing Russian weapon systems, and commanding ships built in Russia,” Tripathi said. He added that India recognizes Russia’s deep involvement in the ‘Make in India’ initiative, which aims to increase the country’s self-reliance in military technologies, manufacturing, and other strategic areas.
Another frigate of the same project is undergoing trials and will be delivered to India next year, Russian officials stated, while two more frigates of Project 11356 are being built under license production at the shipyard in Goa using Russian technology.
