Russia, Dec 10 :
Long-standing partners India and Russia will give priority to work in new and unexplored areas of technology, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He was attending the commissioning ceremony of warship INS Tushil at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia, today.
The minister said the two countries would not only strengthen the existing areas of collaboration, but also give priority to working in new and unexplored areas.
He added: “India and Russia will enter a new era of cooperation by taking advantage of each other’s expertise in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Space Exploration and Counter-Terrorism.”
The minister said India and Russia would realise the full potential of its cooperation in the coming times.
India and Russia already have long-standing ties on military technology. The annual report of the Sweden-based think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in March said India was the world’s biggest arms importer for the five-year block period 2019-23 with a 9.8 per cent share of all arms imports. “Russia remained India’s main supplier,” it added. The Indian Air Force uses the Russian origin Sukhoi 30-MKIs and MiG-29 jets, the Mi-17 series of helicopters besides the air defence missiles the S-400. The Indian Army has Russian-origin tanks, rocket launchers and weapons. The Navy has its share of Russian origin jets, the MiG 29K, and several of its warships, including the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, which have been made in Russia.
Rajnath Singh said the commissioning of INS Tushil was a proud testament to India’s growing maritime strength and a significant milestone in the long-standing friendship between India and Russia. The minister termed Russia’s support to India’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ as an example of friendship.
Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said the flawless integration of Indian systems with Russian systems was commendable.
The event was also attended by Russian Deputy Minister of Defence Alexander Vasilyevich Fomin and Ambassador of India to Russia Vinay Kumar
INS Tushil is an upgrade over the existing six ships already in service in the Indian Navy — three Talwar-class ships and three Teg-class ships. The INS Tushil is the seventh in the series and is the first of the two upgraded additional follow-on ships.
INS Tushil is designed for operations across the spectrum of naval warfare. It is armed with advanced weapons, including the Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles, vertically-launched surface-to-air missiles, upgraded medium-range guns with stealth features, anti-submarine torpedoes and rockets coupled with electronic warfare and communication suite.
The ship is powered by a gas turbine propulsion plant with state-of-the-art controls with automation and stealth features.
