On Tuesday, the Indian Navy added a new stealth frigate to its fleet—INS Tamal—commissioned at the Yantar Shipyard in Russia. It’s likely the final foreign-built warship India will acquire, as focus shifts to building vessels at home.
Overseeing the ceremony was Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh, head of the Western Naval Command. He praised INS Tamal as a “force multiplier,” saying ships like it improve the Navy’s reach, speed, and readiness in protecting India’s maritime interests.
Built as part of a $2.5 billion defense deal with Russia, Tamal is the eighth Krivak-class frigate India has acquired over the past two decades. Two of the ships in this deal, including Tamal and INS Tushil (commissioned last December), were constructed in Russia. The remaining two will be assembled at Goa Shipyard Limited.
Weighing 3,900 tonnes, INS Tamal is built for multi-domain operations—air, surface, underwater, and even electronic warfare. It carries BrahMos cruise missiles, Shtil SAMs, naval guns, close-range defenses, torpedoes, and anti-submarine rockets.
The ship carries around 250 sailors and 26 officers and is expected to arrive on India’s west coast by September. It will join the Western Fleet based in Mumbai.
Tamal and Tushil represent an upgraded variant of the Krivak III class (Project 1135.6). Six similar frigates already serve in India’s navy — three Talwar-class ships built in St. Petersburg and three Teg-class ships from the Yantar yard.
The newer frigates feature an indigenous component of roughly 26%, a significant jump from the earlier Teg-class vessels. Contributions have come from 33 Indian firms, including Bharat Electronics, BrahMos Aerospace, and Tata’s Nova Integrated Systems.
On the same day, the Indian Navy took delivery of another warship: Udaygiri, the second stealth frigate under Project 17A. Built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai, it will likely be commissioned in August.
Udaygiri is part of a larger plan to add seven P-17A frigates to the fleet. These ships are a follow-on to the Shivalik-class frigates and feature improved stealth, weapons systems, and faster construction times. The design comes from the Warship Design Bureau, and the ships are being assembled using “Integrated Construction,” which allows pre-outfitting during early build phases.
According to the Navy, Udaygiri was delivered in just 37 months — a notable turnaround for a vessel of its class.
India’s naval leadership has increasingly emphasized self-reliance. With INS Tamal, the transition away from foreign procurement in warship construction appears to be reaching a critical turning point.
The next warships entering service will be built in Indian yards, marking a shift not just in sourcing but in long-term defense strategy.
