INS Trikand, the last of the three “Follow On Talwar Class” frigates built in the Russian Federation, was commissioned into the Indian Navy today at Kaliningrad, Russia by Vice Admiral R K Dhowan, the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy, in a glittering ceremony marked by traditional military fervour that included the Indian and the Russian navies.
The commissioning of INS Trikand marks the culmination of a three ship contract for “Follow On Talwar Class” ships built in Russia, and is therefore a milestone in the Indo-Russian military-technological cooperation. Her sister ships INS Teg and INS Tarkash were commissioned last year and are now undertaking operations as part of the Western Fleet. The keel of INS Trikand was laid on 11 June 2008 and the ship was launched on 25 May 2011. Extensive Acceptance trials were conducted in the Baltic Sea in April and May 2013.
INS Trikand carries a state-of-the-art combat suite which includes the supersonic BRAHMOS missile system, advanced Surface to Air missiles Shtil, upgraded A190 medium range gun, Electro-optical 30 mm Close-in Weapon System, Anti-Submarine weapons such as torpedoes and rockets and an advanced Electronic Warfare system. The weapons and sensors are integrated through a Combat Management System ‘Trebovanie-M’, which enables the ship to simultaneously neutralise multiple surface, sub-surface and air threats. The ship also incorporates innovative features to reduce radar, magnetic and acoustic signatures, which have earned this class of ships the sobriquet of ‘Stealth’ frigates. The ship is powered by four gas turbines and is capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots. The ship can carry an integrated Kamov 31 helicopter which is best suited for airborne early warning roles.
INS Trikand is commanded by Captain Ajay Kochhar, a Gunnery and Missile Warfare specialist, who was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1988. The ship has a complement of about 300 personnel including officers. The ship will soon undertake her maiden passage to India to join her sister ships of Western Fleet.
The ceremony was also attended by HE Shri Ajai Malhotra, the Indian Ambassador to the Russian Federation, the Mayor of Kaliningrad and representatives of various Russian agencies involved in the project and senior Naval officers of both the Indian and the Russian Navies.