Top Russian Navy official visits INS Tamal, discusses key areas of defence cooperation with India

Moscow, July 26 (IANS) Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Vorobyev Vladimir Mikhailovich on Saturday visited the Indian Navy's INS Tamal, which was commissioned at Kaliningrad's Yantar Shipyard on July 1.

"Admiral Vorobyev Vladimir Mikhailovich, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Russian Federation Navy visited Indian Navy's frontline frigate INS Tamal and was briefed on the capabilities of the ship," the Indian Embassy in Russia posted on X.

The top defence official also interacted with the crew along with discussing areas for cooperation between the countries.

During the interaction, Admiral Mikhailovich spoke about the ongoing defence cooperation between India and Russia.

"The Admiral and his team also interacted with the ship's crew and spoke about ongoing activities and areas for mutual cooperation," the Indian Embassy in Moscow added.

INS Tamal is the eighth multi-role stealth frigate in the series of Project 1135.6 and the second of the additional follow-on Tushil class of ships. The first ship of Tushil class (INS Tushil) was commissioned on December 9, 2024 in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

All seven ships inducted thus far are part of the Western Fleet - 'The Sword Arm' of the Indian Navy under the Western Naval Command.

INS Tamal is a formidable moving fortress at sea and is designed for blue water operations across the spectrum of naval warfare in all four dimensions -- air, surface, underwater and electromagnetic.

Tamal is an amalgamation of Indian and Russian technologies with a host of state-of-the-art communication and network centric operational capabilities.

The ship has been equipped with complex automated systems for nuclear, biological and chemical defence, including damage control and fire-fighting that can be operated centrally from sheltered posts.

INS Tamal is manned by a crew of about 250 sailors and 26 officers. The officers and sailors of this ship embody the ships motto – 'Sarvatra Sarvada Vijaya' (Victory always everywhere), signifying Tamal’s undying commitment to operational excellence in every mission, complementing Indian Navy’s motto ‘Combat Ready, Credible, Cohesive and Future Ready Force Safeguarding National Maritime Interests – Anytime, Anywhere’.

The India-Russia partnership has been among the steadiest in the contemporary era with a shared commitment to a multipolar world as well to expand the engagement beyond the traditional military, nuclear and space cooperation. In the past two years, bilateral trade has expanded significantly, doubling the target of $30bn set earlier for 2025.

Both countries also look to strengthen inter-regional cooperation, especially with the Russian Far East and connectivity initiatives like the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), the Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor and the Northern Sea Route.

--IANS

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