On July 1, 2025, Russia delivered INS Tamal multi-role stealth frigate to the Indian Navy. INS Tamal is the eighth ship in the series of Project 1135.6 and the second of the additional follow-on Tushil class of ships. The first ship of Tushil class (INS Tushil) was commissioned on 09 Dec 24 in presence of the Indian Defence Minister. All seven ships inducted thus far are part of the Western Fleet – ‘The Sword Arm’ of the Indian Navy under the Western Naval Command.
The ceremony of commissioning of Tamal into the Indian Navy took place in Russia’s Kaliningrad in the presence of VAdm Sanjay Jasjit Singh, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. He noted that it marked a significant milestone in the country’s maritime defense capabilities and Indo-Russian Cooperation. Jasjit Singh commented that INS Tamal joins the illustrious list of Talwar, Teg, and Tushil class of ships, renowned for their dependability and prowess. He also remarked that, though being built in Russia, the ship has 26% indigenous components, including the BrahMos long-range cruise missile and Humsa-NG Sonar system.
In this regard it would be worth remembering that the industrial partnership between Delhi and Moscow actually began long before the Make in India era. One of its first examples was the establishment in 1998 of the BrahMos Aerospace joint venture for the production of the BrahMos supersonic missile. This multi-service missile has become one of the most powerful strike instruments of the Indian Armed Forces.
The most significant contemporary aerospace project is the Su-30MKI heavy fighter jet program, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). In parallel, a large-scale program for the production of turbofan aero engines for Indian Air Force fighter jets is being implemented, with a high degree of localization.
In 2015, Russia and India signed a cooperation agreement in helicopter manufacturing. The document envisages joint production in India and delivery of Ka-226T helicopters for the Indian armed forces. In May 2017, Russian Helicopters, Rosoboronexport and HAL registered a joint venture that deals with localization issues.
Among the largest projects of joint production for the Indian Army is manufacturing of T-90S Bhishma main battle tanks in India. The Bhishma MBT incorporates many indigenous components, in line with Make in India initiative. The number of indigenous subsystems is obviously to grow in number. Earlier in 2025 a Request for Information (RFI) to acquire approximately 75 Platform-based Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) for India’s MBTs was issued. The systems are to be equipped with both Soft Kill and Hard Kill capabilities.
In June 2024 media reported that the first T-90 Mk-III main battle tanks from the Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) were delivered to the Army. The contract for delivering 464 new T-90 Mk-III tanks to the Indian Army was signed in 2019.
Along with tanks, joint production of ammunition for them has also been launched in India. In 2024, Rostec State Corporation announced the launch of production of 125-mm Mango armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds in India. It can be fired from the guns of both T-72 and T-90 MBTs and is tailored for knocking out modern tanks equipped with combined protection.
Another major project is joint manufacturing of BMP-2 Sarath infantry fighting vehicles. In total, according to earlier media reports, about 1,250 of these combat vehicles were produced in India. The project is ongoing.
All this indicates that in equipping the Army with armored vehicles, India is inclined to give priority to cooperation with Russia.
Among the latest projects of industrial partnership between Russia and India is the Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) joint venture. The enterprise is manufacturing AK203 assault rifles at the Korwa Ordnance Factory. The plans of the joint venture include achieving 100-percent localization of production.
In March 2025 Russia’s state arms export agency Rosoboronexport announced its readiness to collaborate with India in the development and production of advanced military equipment for the Ground Forces. The joint efforts in the creation of future armoured vehicles and the development of a new light tank tailored for the Indian Army, based on Russian models, were listed. This could potentially integrate components and ammunition already manufactured in India, helping to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
It was highlighted, that modern Russian armoured combat vehicles are known for their superior combat capabilities, making them a reliable option for India’s evolving defence requirements. The collaboration could also extend into artillery systems, with plans to organize the production of rockets for multiple launch rocket systems and small-calibre shells in India, underlined the Russian side.
It is obvious that the relevance of increasing the combat strength of the land component has only increased since the May conflict with Pakistan. The current state of cooperation between Russia and India is characterized by a significant increase in the share of joint research and development work. It can be assumed that subsequent Russian-Indian projects will include not only joint production, but also joint development and marketing of military equipment.
With inputs from the National Defense magazine (Russia)
