RT reported that India's new multi-purpose stealth rocket destroyer, INS Tushil, built for the Indian Navy in Russia, was added to the payroll on December 9 at an official ceremony in Kaliningrad, Russia. The ceremony was chaired by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, along with Indian and Russian naval commanders, Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi and Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev.
The INS Tushil (meaning "protective shield") is a Krivak III-classclassclassclassclassship upgraded under the name of Project 1135.6. Six suchurs are in service with the Indian Navy, three of which are Talwar-class ships built at the Baltisky Shipyard in St. Petersburg. Petersburg, while three were built at the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad.
Tushil will be the seventh ship of Project 1135.6 in the Indian Navy, demonstrating the high efficiency of these ships and India's trust in the Russian defense industry, according to an official statement from the Russian Federation Shipbuilding Corporation.
The ship's construction was closely monitored by a team of Indian experts, according to Indian defence ministry officials. After completion, the canal underwent a series of expanded testing, starting in January this year. The ship's crew has been trained in Russia.
"The ship will arrive in India in a state of near combat readiness, ready to take action from the start," New Delhi said in a statement on December 6.
After being put into operation, Tushil will join the "Sword Arm" Western Flotillery of the Indian Navy, under the Western Navy Command and will be among the most technologically advanced destroyers in the world. "It will not only be a symbol of the growing capacity of the Indian Navy but also a strong enduring cooperation strength of the India-Russia partnership," New Delhi said.
The Tushil is 125 meters long and weighs 3,900 tons. According to the Indian military, the ship is "an impressive combination of advanced Russian and Indian technology with the best techniques in warship building".
INS Tushil is the first of two warships that India signed a contract for in October 2016. The second sister ship under the contract, INS Tamal, is undergoing trials in the Baltic Sea and is expected to join the Indian Navy in 2025. In addition, two more ships from this project are being built with Russian assistance at Goa Shipyard Limited in India, with technology transfer from Russia.
The Russian Defense Ministry affirmed that the cooperation between the two countries in this project is "in line with the principles of the Make in India program" led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that the market share of India's shipping systems is gradually increasing.
INS Tushil is equipped with the BrahMos hypersonic missile system developed and produced by the Russia-India joint venture BrahMos Aerospace.
Russian arms export agency Rosoboronexport is involved in about 10 joint naval projects in India.
