The Indian Navy’s latest guided missile stealth frigate, INS Tushil, last week called in South Africa while on her maiden voyage home from Russia.
The vessel arrived in Durban on Wednesday 29 January and departed on Saturday 1 February.
INS Tushil was greeted by the South African Navy frigate SAS Amatola on her maiden entry into the Indian Ocean region. The two ships engaged in tactical manoeuvres followed by a traditional steam past.
While in Durban, Commodore Peter Varghese, the Commanding Officer of the INS Tushil, welcomed on board the High Commissioner of India to South Africa, Prabhat Kumar, and the Consul General of India to Durban, Dr Thelma John David.
Interactions were held with the SA Navy in addition to social engagements with select schools, cultural and recreational activities – including a 5 km run, and a dinner reception marking the docking of INS Tushil in Indian Ocean waters.
Mayor of eThekwini, Cyril Xaba, welcomed the port call and exercises, and spoke on the importance of Durban and the links with India. Rear Admiral Handsome Matsane, the Flag Officer Fleet from Simon’s Town, represented the Chief of SA Navy and spoke on the close linkages and deep ties between the South African and Indian navies.
“This marks the first trip in Indian waters. It is a privilege to be in one of our best partners’ homes. South Africa means a lot to India, and the Indian Navy has had a long-standing relationship with the South African Navy,” Varghese said.
“South Africa means a lot to India and for the Indian navy we’ve had a longstanding relationship with the South African Navy. It’s not only limited to capability building but it’s getting into more high quality levels of interactions which are seen between a few partners.
“On our way down here we were also deployed in the Gulf of Guinea which is a high piracy risk area. In partnership with the regional navies there we conducted joint patrols,” he said.
INS Tushil is on her maiden voyage to India, after being built by Yantar Shipyard in Russia. The ship’s keel was laid in July 2013 and she was launched in October 2021. She is the seventh Talwar/Teg class frigate built for the Indian Navy and the first of the third batch of the class of frigates ordered (under a $2.5 billion 2016 agreement with Russia, Goa Shipyard Limited is building two Talwars and Yantar Shipyard is building another two in Russia).
On her delivery voyage, INS Tushil will sail through the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean, with several port calls, joint patrols, and maritime exercises along the way. She is due to reach India in mid-February 2025.
INS Tushil made her first port call in London on 22 December 2024 as part of her maiden operational deployment. On 27 December, she reached Casablanca, Morocco, for a two-day visit.
On 3 January, INS Tushil reached the Port of Dakar, Senegal. The ship also conducted a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the Senegalese Navy during her stay until 5 January.
The INS Tushil arrived in Lagos, Nigeria, on 12 January before a three-day stop in Walvis Bay, Namibia, from 21 to 23 January. This marked marked the fifth Indian Naval Ship to visit Namibia in recent years, following INS Tarkash’s visits in 2017, 2019, and 2022, and INS Sumedha’s visit in 2023.
INS Tushil measures approximately 125 meters in length and displaces around 3 900 tons. The vessel is equipped with advanced weaponry, including eight BrahMos vertically launched anti-ship cruise missiles, 24 medium-range and eight short-range surface-to-air missiles, along with a 100 mm gun and two close-in weapon systems for defence against incoming threats. The frigate also features two double torpedo tubes and a rocket launcher for anti-submarine operations.
Powered by a gas turbine propulsion system, INS Tushil can achieve speeds exceeding 30 knots. The ship accommodates a crew of about 180 personnel, including 18 officers, and is capable of operating anti-submarine helicopters such as the Kamov-28 and Kamov-31.
INS Sarvekshak surveys Mauritius
Meanwhile, the Indian Navy hydrographic survey vessel, INS Sarvekshak, recently completed a hydrographic survey covering an area of over 25 000 square miles around the coast of Mauritius.
Following completion of the survey, India’s High Commissioner to Mauritius, Anurag Srivastava, handed over newly prepared charts and survey equipment to Mauritius’ President Dharambeer Gokhool.
The creation of new nautical charts will enable Mauritius to better plan and develop its maritime infrastructure, while managing coastal resources.
The handing over was a further example of the growing relationship between the two Indian Ocean countries, particularly in respect of fostering maritime development and regional cooperation.
“This milestone reflects the strong bond between India and Mauritius in advancing maritime security, resource management, and regional cooperation,” a navy spokesman said.
On 25 January, while in port and in addition to its operational commitment, the Indian ship staged a joint India-Mauritius yoga session, involving the ship’s crew, personnel from the National Coast Guard, Mauritius and Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture (IGCIC).
The operation and visit in port of INS Sarvekshak reaffirmed the continued commitment and wide-ranging partnership between the two countries in line with the vision of India’s ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region), according to a statement issued by India’s Press Information Bureau.
INS Sarvekshak, which operates under the Southern Naval Command, is equipped with state-of-the-art hydrographic survey tools, including advanced sonar systems, four survey motor boats, and two small boats. The ship also features a helicopter and a Bofors 40 mm gun, enhancing its operational versatility.
