Russia set to deliver first missile frigate to India by month end amid delays in other defense projects.

According to information published by the Times of India on November 11, 2024, India is set to receive the first of two Russian-built Grigorovich-class guided-missile frigates by the end of this month, a long-awaited milestone amidst prolonged delays attributed to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
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Russian built Talwar-class frigate INS Trikand. (Picture source: Indian Navy)

The 4,000-tonne multi-role frigate is currently in Kaliningrad’s Yantar Shipyard, where over 200 Indian officers and sailors have been stationed for months, undergoing training and preparations. The vessel will soon be formally handed over to the Indian crew and subsequently commissioned as INS Tushil by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, who is scheduled to visit Russia in early December.

The delivery of INS Tushil is part of a $1 billion deal inked in October 2018 for four Grigorovich-class frigates, which includes advanced stealth features, BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, and a suite of sensors for varied mission profiles. The second Russian-built frigate, to be named INS Tamal, is expected to follow in early 2025. Meanwhile, the other two frigates are under construction in Goa Shipyard, leveraging a technology transfer agreement with Russia. These ships are expected to be launched and commissioned in the coming years, strengthening India’s naval power in the Indian Ocean region.

The lease of a nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) from Russia, initially scheduled for delivery by 2027 under a $3 billion deal signed in 2019, has been delayed. This SSN, set to be India’s most advanced leased submarine, is now expected by 2028, despite India’s requests for an expedited timeline.

Meanwhile, India’s indigenous efforts to enhance its undersea warfare capabilities are progressing. Following the recent commissioning of INS Arighaat, its second SSBN (nuclear-powered submarine with ballistic missiles), India plans to induct a third SSBN, INS Aridhaman, early next year. Additionally, the government recently approved a $5 billion project to develop two indigenous SSNs, though these are expected to take at least a decade to complete.

These acquisitions underscore India's strategic focus on enhancing its naval and air defense capabilities amid regional tensions with China and Pakistan. The induction of INS Tushil and its sister ships will add to India’s existing fleet of Russian-origin frigates, which includes three Talwar-class and three Teg-class warships.