An Indian navy warship commissioned in Russia features engines manufactured by a Ukrainian company.
The INS Tushil, a Krivak-class stealth frigate, was commissioned into the Indian navy at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea on Dec 9.
It marks a significant addition to India’s fleet of advanced stealth-guided missile frigates.
But the frigate also shows a unique procurement route undertaken by New Delhi to secure the necessary components, which saw both Russia and Ukraine have a hand in the vessel’s construction.
The warship’s engines, gas turbines built by Ukraine’s Zorya-Mashproekt, which is a global leader in marine propulsion technology, were acquired by India directly from Ukraine and delivered to Russia for installation.
Despite sanctions imposed by the West and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Ukrainian company fulfilled its contract, enabling India to maintain its naval procurement timelines.
Rajnath Singh, the Indian defence minister, who was present at the commissioning event in Russia, said: “It [the warship] exemplifies India’s journey towards technological excellence through jointmanship.”
He hailed it as a proud testament to India’s growing maritime strength and a significant milestone in the long-standing friendship between India and Russia, “which are bound together by shared values, mutual trust, and special and strategic privileged partnership”.
A senior Indian defence official on condition of anonymity, said: “The successful delivery of these engines during the Russia-Ukraine conflict shows India’s deft navigation of international geopolitics.
“The Indian navy with the help of the government has ensured that our interests remain unhindered, leveraging bilateral agreements with both nations.”
The roots of the collaboration between India, Russia and Ukraine trace back to 2013 when Tushil and her sister ship, Tamala, were originally intended for the Russian navy under the Project 11356R Adml Grigorovich-class programme.
But the annexation of Crimea in 2014 disrupted the production chain as Ukraine imposed sanctions, cutting off the supply of critical components, including turbines.
This paralysed Russia’s shipbuilding projects for larger vessels, including the Admiral Butakov and Admiral Istomin frigates.
In 2016, India stepped in, striking a deal with Russia’s Rosoboronexport to purchase the unfinished warships.
The $2.2 billion (£1.7 billion) contract also included provisions for constructing two additional Project 11356M frigates in India’s Goa Shipyard under a licence agreement.
A critical element of the deal required India to negotiate with Ukraine for the direct procurement of turbines, which were later delivered to Russia’s Yantar Shipyard for installation.
The INS Tushil, weighing 4,000 tonnes, represents a blend of Russian hull design and Ukrainian propulsion systems, reflecting the challenges of modern defence procurement in a geopolitically fractured world.
Equipped with advanced Indian and Russian weapon systems, including BrahMos supersonic missiles, it will soon join India’s Western Naval Command.
The warship has undergone a series of sea trials, factory trials and state committee trials starting in January 2024, during which it clocked an impressive speed of more than 30 knots (55kph). It is now being delivered to India in a combat-ready condition.
As per the Indian navy, it ranks among the most technologically-advanced frigates in the world.
It is designed for blue water operations across the spectrum of naval warfare in the air, on the surface, underwater and electromagnetic.
It is armed with a range of advanced weapons, including the jointly-developed Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles, vertically-launched surface-to-air missiles with enhanced ranges, upgraded medium-range anti-air and surface gun with advanced stealth features, optically-controlled close-range rapid fire gun system, anti-submarine torpedoes and rockets and advanced electronic warfare and communication suite.
This warship is seen as part of India’s balancing act of maintaining strategic ties with both Russia and Ukraine while pursuing its naval modernisation efforts to counter regional challenges like China’s growing maritime presence.
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