INS Tamal

Context: The Indian Navy commissioned INS Tamal (F71) on July 1, 2025, at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia. It is a multi-role stealth guided missile frigate, and the last foreign-built major warship to be inducted into the Indian Navy, in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.

Key Highlights:

• Class: 8th ship of the Project 1135.6 Talwar-class, and 2nd of the follow-on Tushil-class.

• Commander: Captain Sridhar Tata, a gunnery and missile warfare specialist.

• Operations: Designed for blue-water missions, capable of handling air, surface, sub-surface, and electronic warfare.

• Weapons: Equipped with dual-role BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and other advanced systems.

Strategic Significance:

• Marks the end of foreign-built warship inductions, emphasizing the shift to indigenous shipbuilding.

• Strengthens the long-standing Indo-Russian defence partnership, with 51 warships built under this collaboration over 65 years.

INS Tamal represents a milestone in India's maritime capability and its evolving self-reliance in naval defence production.