Indo-Russia JV to service Talwar frigates

Rosoboronservice India Ltd (ROS(I)) has made a proposal to the Indian Navy to render the guarantee period after-sales service to the three new Talwar class stealth frigates currently under construction at the Yantar shipyard at Kaliningrad in Russia.

An agreement towards this is slated to be signed during Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma’s visit to that country this week. “A high-level delegation was in New Delhi to prepare the final agreement and logistics arrangements to ensure that this task can be accomplished effectively and efficiently,” sources told FE.

ROS(I) is a JV formed through a strategic alliance between eight world renowned original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of defence equipment from Russia and Krasny Marine Services Pvt Ltd as the sole Indian partner. It was created by a Russian presidential decree to render after-sales service to all Russian origin assets of the Indian Navy in 2005.

Under a standard company practice, ROS(I) will engage a number of ex-Indian Navy specialists to undertake the after-sales service, thereby ensuring retention of talent and availability of trained, experienced manpower to the Indian Navy.

The three Talwar class ships currently being built are the Teg, the Tarkash and the Trikand. All three will carry the supersonic BrahMos missile system. They would also be armed with advanced Shtil-1 surface-to-air missiles, 100 mm artillery guns and other equipment, as also a deck – based Kamov KA-31 helicopter. The frigates, having a top speed of about 30 knots, are powered by twin shaft gas turbines and fitted with state-of -the-art navigation, communication, anti-submarine and electronic warfare equipment.

Earlier, Russia had built INS Talwar, INS Trishul and INS Tabar at the Balitiisky Zavod shipyard in St Petersburg.

Significant among the MoU partners of ROS(I) are Baltitsky Zavod, the builder of the Talwar class stealth frigates; Zvyozdochka, the leading shipyard that undertook refit and modification of Kilo class submarines of the Indian Navy; OKB Novator, designer of missiles; and leading aircraft manufacturers Kamov and Illyushin.