Amid delays, India to receive its 1st guided-missile warship from Russia

India is set to get its first guided-missile warship from Russia by the end of this month. This delivery follows a series of delays due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, the transfer of two additional squadrons of S-400 Triumf air defence systems is expected to be postponed until 2026, with a nuclear-powered attack submarine potentially delayed until 2028.

 

The multi-role frigate, weighing nearly 4,000 tonnes, will soon be handed over to an Indian crew of over 200 officers and sailors stationed at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, according to defence sources. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to visit Russia in early December to commission the warship – ‘INS Tushil’ – during the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) meeting.

 

Additional frigates and defence upgrades

The second frigate, named Tamal, is scheduled for delivery early next year. Both stealth frigates are equipped with advanced weaponry, including BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, to support a variety of missions. India signed an agreement in October 2018 to procure four Grigorovich-class frigates, with the first two being imported from Russia at a cost of approximately Rs 8,000 crore, and the other two under construction at Goa Shipyard using transferred technology.

 

The Indian Navy already operates six similar Russian-built frigates. Delivery of the final two S-400 surface-to-air missile squadrons under a $5.43 billion contract signed in 2018 is anticipated by 2026. India has requested expedited delivery, but Russia’s production capacity is currently strained by the conflict in Ukraine.

 

Previously, India leased two nuclear-powered submarines – INS Chakra-1 and INS Chakra-2 – from Russia. In 2019, India signed a $3 billion agreement with Russia to lease a more advanced submarine, though this delivery is now delayed until at least 2028. Meanwhile, India’s indigenous project to develop its nuclear-powered attack submarines was approved last month, with production expected to take at least a decade.