Russia To Deliver Two Talwar-Class Guided Missile Frigates To Indian Navy

February 10, 2020

Indian Navy frigate INS Trikand (F51) Talwar-class Guided Missile Frigates Photographed by Brian Burnell

According to the Russia’s Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, Indian Navy will receive two Talwar-class Project 11356 frigates currently under construction at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad in west Russia by the end of the first half of 2024. Yantar Shipyard builds military ships, including antisubmarine and patrol crafts, as well as civil vessels such as fishing trawlers and seiners.[2] It is part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation. The Indian Navy currently has six of these ships. Under the program, another two frigates will be built by Goa Shipyard Limited. In order to build the ships, it is necessary to upgrade the Indian shipyard, work out and deliver the required documentation and train Indian specialists, including in the course of the construction of the ships at the Russian shipyard.

The Talwar-class frigates or Project 11356 are a class of guided missile frigates designed and built by Russia for the Indian Navy. The Talwar-class guided missile frigates are the improved versions of the Krivak III-class (Project 1135) frigates used by the Russian Coast Guard. The design has been further developed as the Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate for the Russian Navy. Six ships were built in two batches between 1999 and 2013. Designed by Severnoye Design Bureau, the first batch of ships were built by Baltic Shipyard and the second batch by Yantar Shipyard. Preceded by the Brahmaputra-class frigates, the Talwar-class frigates are said to have semi-stealth features and better armament. The Indian Navy currently has six of these ships and plans to induct four more in the future.

India and Russia are negotiating for building an additional four more Talwar frigates for the Indian Navy. In September 2016, it was reported that India would acquire two Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates from Russia and remaining two will be built in India.[16] The deal was signed in October 2016. These frigates are based on the Talwar class and were to be commissioned into the Russian Navy, but after the Ukrainian Conflict, Ukraine refused to supply any more engines for the Russian ships. So far, only two of the six have been commissioned by Russia. In August 2017, the Indian Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared a proposal of Rs 490 crore to buy two gas turbines from Zorya-Mashproekt in Ukraine for the Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates being built in Russia.

In October 2018, Indian Ministry of Defense signed a deal for US$ 950 million for procuring two Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates, Admiral Butakov and Admiral Istomin . The two frigates will be delivered to Indian Navy by 2022. A contract was signed between Rosoboronexport and Goa Shipyard for the construction of 2 frigates under license on 20 November 2018. The two frigates will be armed with Brahmos missile system and will include a host of Indian equipment and will be delivered by 2027. The contract for the two ships was awarded to Goa Shipyard Limited by the government of India on 30 January 2019.

Courtesy: militaryleak