Russia and India look to expand cooperation in building warships – official

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The largest Russian shipbuilding company has said it would like to participate in Indian defense indigenization efforts.

The INS Tamal stealth multirole frigate for the Indian Navy built by a joint effort of India and Russia is moored during the commissioning ceremony at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia. ©  Sputnik/Svetlana Demeneva

Moscow and New Delhi are looking to expand cooperation in naval construction, the head of the largest shipbuilding company in Russia has said. Speaking at the official handing-over ceremony of the frigate Tamal to the Indian Navy on Tuesday, United Shipbuilding Corporation Chief Executive Andrey Puchkov said Moscow was ready to assist New Delhi in its efforts to indigenize its naval hardware.

“India is an old trusted friend, and we always try to deliver the best we have to our Indian friends,” Puchkov said. “As you know, we have built a full series of ships for our Indian colleagues and today we have finished the batch built in Russia.”

The Tamal is the eighth Russian-made Krivak-class frigate to be delivered to India over the past two decades, and uses 26% Indian components. It was built at the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, and its construction was monitored by Indian specialists from the Warship Overseeing Team, according to the Indian Defense Ministry.

“We will continue providing all the needed equipment so that our friends can build ships indigenously as part of the ‘Make in India’ program, but this is only part of our work,” Puchkov added. “We have a vast number of new ideas to bring to life, and I think that both the Russian and Indian sides are interested.”

Indian Navy officials have welcomed Russian participation in the Indian defense industry. “The name Tamal symbolizes the mythical sword used in battle by Indra, the King of Gods, which is also featured on the ship’s crest,” Sanjay J. Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command said on Tuesday. “The ship’s mascot is a combination of Jambavan, the immortal bear king of Indian mythology, and the Russian national animal, the Eurasian brown bear.”