The Indian Navy on Monday commissioned INS Tamal (F71), a state-of-the-art guided-missile frigate and the last foreign-made warship for India, at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.
The warship, built through a collaborative effort between Indian and Russian specialists, was formally inducted in the presence of Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, Controller Warship Production and Acquisition, and Vice Admiral Sergie Lipin, Commander Baltic Fleet of the Russian Federation Navy.
Commanding INS Tamal is Captain Sridhar Tata, a decorated naval officer from Srikakulam District in Andhra Pradesh. An alumnus of Sainik School Korukonda in Vizianagaram district, Captain Tata has created history as the first ‘Saikorian’ – as the alumni of the school are called – to commission a frigate-sized or above warship abroad.
With over 26 years of operational, training and staff experience, he brings an illustrious track record to his latest command. Captain Tata has served on 12 different warships, including commanding three of them, and has participated in major operations such as Operation Vijay during the Kargil conflict, Operation Parakram, and anti-piracy missions.
He was also the founding member of the Maritime Security Wing of the National Security Council Secretariat under NSA Ajit Doval.
Captain Tata leads a crew of over 250 personnel who have undergone extensive and rigorous training in the harsh winter conditions of St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad.
The warship has successfully completed three months of sea trials in the Baltic Sea, proving all its systems, weapons, and sensors under extreme conditions. The officer’s deep family roots in the armed forces-his father and father-in-law served in the Indian Air Force for over 30 years, and his brother and brothers-in-law continue to serve in senior roles-have shaped his path.
INS Tamal, the fifth frigate built at the USC shipyard in Kaliningrad for the Indian Navy, is a symbol of Indo-Russian defence cooperation and marks the end of India’s reliance on foreign-made warships.
With a length of 125 meters and a displacement of 3,900 tonnes, the frigate is packed with cutting-edge weaponry and sensors. The ship features a mix of Indian and Russian technologies, with 26% indigenous components, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system for both anti-ship and land-attack roles.
Tamal boasts vertically launched surface-to-air missiles, an improved 100 mm gun, a new-generation EO/IR system, CIWS, heavyweight torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets, advanced radars, and a comprehensive electronic warfare suite.
It can host Air Early Warning and Multi-Role helicopters and is equipped for Network Centric Warfare. The warship is designed for top speeds in excess of 30 knots and has a high tonnage-to-firepower ratio, extended endurance, and enhanced stealth features.
The ship’s return journey to India will span two months, during which it will showcase the Indian flag across multiple nations before reaching its homeport at Karwar in Karnataka.
The name ‘Tamal’ refers to the mythical sword used by Indra, King of the gods. Its mascot, inspired by the bear king Jambavant and the Eurasian Brown Bear, represents the Indo-Russian spirit of strength and unity.
The crew proudly call themselves ‘The Great Bears’, and the ship’s motto, Sarvada Sarvatra Vijaya (Victorious Always Everytime), encapsulates the Indian Navy’s unwavering commitment to excellence.
INS Tamal’s construction was overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team stationed in Kaliningrad under the aegis of the Embassy of India in Moscow, and the project was managed by the Directorate of Ship Production at Naval Headquarters.
The ship features 33 made-in-India systems-more than double its predecessors-and has benefitted from contributions by Indian firms such as BrahMos Aerospace, Bharat Electronics, Keltron, Tata’s Nova Integrated Systems, Elcome Marine, and Johnson Controls India.
With the commissioning of INS Tamal, Captain Sridhar Tata not only reinforces the Indian Navy’s operational prowess but also honours the legacy of Sainik School Korukonda, whose alumni include decorated officers like the late Colonel Santosh Babu, Mahavir Chakra awardee, and Major Rama Gopal Naidu, Kirti Chakra awardee.
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(with inputs from Manjeet Negi)