The heart of the matter: Ukrainian engines drove INS Tamal to India, not Russia

Russia has officially delivered the INS Tamal, the eighth warship built under Project 11356, to the Indian Navy. The handover ceremony took place at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad on July 2, as confirmed on the shipyard’s official website. INS Tamal has successfully completed its sea trials, which were closely monitored by a team from India. This ship is the second of the Tushil-class frigates that India is adding to its fleet. These new warships are part of India’s long-term plan to strengthen its naval presence in the Indian Ocean.

One of the notable aspects of this delivery is the ship’s engine. INS Tamal is powered by M7N gas turbines, which are made in Ukraine by a company called Zorya-Mashproekt, based in the city of Mykolaiv. Despite the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, these engines were still used in the vessel’s construction and delivery. The engines used in INS Tamal were supplied to India by Ukraine’s state-owned defense company, Ukroboronprom, well before the recent phase of the Russia-Ukraine war began.

The ship was first started on November 15, 2013, and was originally named Admiral Istomin. It was initially being built for the Russian Navy. But things changed after Russia’s 2014 takeover of Crimea. In response, Ukraine stopped all military exports to Russia—including the supply of gas turbine engines—leaving Russia without access to the Ukrainian-made parts for its own ships.

By 2017, Russia had suggested that it might finish the ship for its own Black Sea Fleet by using a different type of engine. However, according to United24media.com, that plan was quietly dropped and never moved forward.

Instead, in 2018, Russia and India signed a government-to-government deal. As part of this agreement, two unfinished Russian warships—Admiral Istomin and Admiral Butakov—would be completed and handed over to the Indian Navy. Construction of the ship, now renamed INS Tamal, officially resumed in 2019, this time under India’s ownership and flag.

The ship’s hull was first launched in November 2017, mainly to clear space at the shipyard and free up the slipway for other work. However, the frigate was officially re-launched in 2024 to begin its final phase of construction and fitting out—this time specifically for the Indian Navy.

INS Tamal is expected to officially join the Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command in September 2025. It will take part in patrolling duties across the Indian Ocean to help strengthen maritime security.

Once all ships are completed, the Indian Navy will have a total of ten frigates built under Project 11356. Out of these, two more are currently being built in India and are likely to be ready for service by the end of 2026. Project 11356 frigates come with a powerful set of weapons designed to handle different threats at sea. These include:

Eight BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, which can hit both land and sea targets from as far as 300 kilometers away. 24 surface-to-air missiles launched vertically through the Shtil-1 air defense system, used to protect the ship from enemy aircraft and missiles. A 100mm A-190E naval gun for long-range surface targets, along with six AK-630 close-in weapon systems, which act as a last line of defense against incoming missiles and drones. RBU-6000 rocket launchers and 533mm torpedo tubes, both used to detect and destroy enemy submarines hidden underwater. Together, these weapons make the frigates well-prepared to defend themselves and strike targets on land, at sea, in the air, and under the water.

Earlier, India made a major shift in its defense strategy by moving away from relying heavily on Russian weapons. Instead, it signed a $7.4 billion deal with France to buy 26 Rafale fighter jets for use by the Navy. This move shows that India is now strengthening its defense ties with Western countries and choosing more advanced equipment from Western suppliers.