Defense Minister Rajnath Singh
Prime Minister Modi is attending the BRICS leaders’ meeting in Kazan, Russia. He will hold bilateral meetings with BRICS leaders here. The meeting comes at a time when wars are raging on multiple fronts in different parts of the world. Meanwhile, another important agreement was signed between India and Russia. According to the agreement, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Russia in December and sign a defense agreement worth US$2.5 billion with Russia. The agreement envisages the integration of Tushil, the first of two stealth frigates to be built in Kaliningrad, into the Indian Navy.
However, due to the Russo-Ukrainian war, the delivery of several defense systems ordered from Russia, including the S-400 missile system and stealth frigates, has been delayed. The first warship built by the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia, was named “Tushir”, and the second was named “Tamar”. The two warships were originally scheduled to be delivered at the end of 2022, but were later postponed. Now the second warship “Tamar” will be delivered early next year.
There will be many important agreements
To date, seven Talwar-class warships have been built, six of which are currently in service. Four new warships are being built, two of which will be built in Russia and two in India. The sea displacement of these warships is 3850 tons. India and Russia signed an inter-governmental agreement in 2018 to purchase four Talwar-class frigates. According to the agreement, two warships will be built entirely in Russia, and two warships will be built at the Goa Shipyard in India, with technical cooperation with Russia. Yantar Shipyard built three of the six active Talwar class frigates.
What are the characteristics of Russian-built warships?
These are stealth warships, which means they are difficult to track with radar. Their underwater noise is so low that submarines cannot easily detect them. The ships use gas turbine engines and can move at sea at speeds of 59 kilometers per hour. These warships have 18 officers and 180 enlisted personnel and can be deployed at sea for 30 days. They are equipped with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles. It also houses torpedo tubes for destroying submarines. These warships are designed for naval warfare and carry a powerful combination of Indian and Russian weapons and sensors.
