India vs Pakistan in Arabian Sea: INS Tamal is coming and it's a worry for China-tied Pak navy

With the induction of the stealth frigate INS Tamal, India deepens its maritime edge widening the technological and strategic gap over Pakistan's surface fleet read more
India is set to receive its second formidable warship built in Russia: a multi-role stealth frigate equipped with advanced weaponry, sensors and automation that will significantly enhance the Indian Navy's combat capabilities in the Arabian Sea. The vessel, INS Tamal, will team up with INS Tushil, which was commissioned in December 2024, highlighting the navy's modernisation efforts to upgrade its surface fleet in response to evolving regional security dynamics.
Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan and a shifting maritime security environment, India continues to strengthen its naval forces. With improved surface and undersea capabilities, India is reinforcing its status as a dominant maritime power in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
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Notably, the recent successful test of indigenously developed multi-influence ground mines—designed to target enemy submarines and stealth vessels—marks a leap in India's undersea warfare capabilities. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh noted these systems will 'further enhance the undersea warfare capabilities of the Indian Navy,' highlighting India's growing dominance in both surface and subsurface domains.
INS Tamal: A new addition to India's fleet
The new 3,900-tonne frigate, INS Tamal, is scheduled for handover to the Indian Navy in Kaliningrad, Russia, in a month or so. Following the completion of critical testing, including weapons firing, the ship will be commissioned and sail to India. It is the second in a series of improved Krivak-III class frigates designed for multi-role operations encompassing air defence, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare.
INS Tamal is part of a broader India–Russia agreement signed in October 2016 for the acquisition of four improved Krivak-III class frigates. The first two frigates were acquired for approximately ₹8,000 crore, while the remaining two—Triput and Tavasya—are being built at Goa Shipyard under a technology transfer agreement, with a total cost of around Rs13,000 crore. This initiative reflects India's focus on acquiring cutting-edge warships with multi-domain operational capabilities.
Designed for blue-water operations, the Krivak-III class frigates—including INS Tamal—can conduct long-range missions in open seas. They come equipped with state-of-the-art armament systems and advanced sensors making them highly effective in modern naval combat. Their multi-role design aligns with the Indian Navy's goals to project power and ensure maritime dominance in the region.
Sophisticated weaponry for enhanced combat capability
Like INS Tushil, INS Tamal is armed with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, whose strike range has been extended from 290 km to 450 km. The BrahMos, among the world's fastest and most lethal cruise missiles, travels at Mach 2.8 to 3.0 and follows a sea-skimming flight path, making it extremely difficult to intercept.
In addition to BrahMos, the ship is equipped with Shtil vertical launch surface-to-air missiles for defending against airborne threats. The vessel will also deploy anti-submarine torpedoes and rockets ensuring robust offensive and defensive capabilities across air, surface and subsurface threats.
The frigate is designed to operate with advanced helicopters like the Kamov-28 and Kamov-31 for anti-submarine warfare and airborne early warning, extending its sensor reach and threat response range. These aircraft serve as force multipliers, significantly boosting the ship's combat readiness.
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Advanced stealth features minimise the ship's radar, acoustic and infrared signatures, enhancing survivability in contested waters. High automation reduces crew workload and enables faster decision-making in high-stakes environments contributing further to the ship's operational efficiency.
Enhancing India's undersea warfare capabilities
Complementing the induction of INS Tamal, the Indian Navy recently achieved a significant milestone by successfully test-firing indigenously developed multi-influence ground mines. Though tested with reduced explosives, these mines—designed to destroy enemy submarines and stealth ships—represent a major step in enhancing India's undersea defence posture.
Utilising magnetic, acoustic and pressure sensors, the mines create a versatile system capable of detecting and engaging submerged threats more effectively. Their development marks India's growing technological sophistication in naval warfare and adds strategic depth to its undersea deterrence.
Defence Minister Singh says these systems will enable the navy to operate confidently in contested underwater spaces, enhancing deterrence and mission assurance. Together with advanced warships like the INS Tamal, these undersea capabilities support a holistic approach to naval dominance.
Power projection and regional deterrence
The expansion of India's naval capabilities through advanced frigates and indigenous underwater systems illustrates a deliberate strategic shift. As tensions rise in the Arabian Sea, particularly with Pakistan, India is focussed on projecting naval power while building a credible deterrent against potential adversaries.
India's frigate fleet—including Talwar-class, Shivalik-class and now Krivak-III-class vessels—is central to this approach, enabling full-spectrum operations ranging from surface combat to undersea warfare. Equipped with BrahMos missiles and cutting-edge sensors, these ships are pivotal to India's blue-water naval strategy.
INS Tamal and its sister ships enhance India's ability to secure critical sea lanes, respond rapidly to threats and counterbalance regional competitors like China, whose naval presence in the IOR is expanding. These capabilities are critical to maintaining strategic equilibrium and safeguarding national interests.
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The development and operationalisation of indigenous systems such as the multi-influence mines also reflect India's intent to build a self-reliant, advanced and layered maritime force. By integrating foreign acquisitions with homegrown innovation, India is creating a sustainable and potent naval posture.
The Russian connection: Continued naval collaboration
India-Russia defence cooperation remains a cornerstone of India's naval modernisation. The induction of INS Tamal and INS Tushil underscores the durability of this partnership. India has a long-standing relationship with Russia in warship procurement, dating back to the Cold War.
The current collaboration under the Krivak-III programme not only delivers advanced platforms but also facilitates technology transfer to domestic shipyards, such as Goa Shipyard. At the same time, India continues to strengthen its indigenous shipbuilding with projects like the Nilgiri-class frigates (Project 17A), adopting a dual strategy that blends foreign technology with domestic capability development.
This balanced approach ensures resilience and long-term sustainability in naval force modernisation.
Edge over Pakistan's naval frigates
A comparative assessment of regional navies reveals a distinct advantage for India, particularly in terms of frigate numbers and capabilities. As of 2025, India operates 19 active frigates, while Pakistan has only eight. India's fleet is not only larger but also technologically superior and built for sustained blue-water operations.
Pakistan's newest additions—the Tughril-class (Type 054A/P) frigates from China—are a significant upgrade, featuring CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles, LY-80N surface-to-air missiles and anti-submarine systems. Additionally, India has a stronger platform than these in Talwar- and Shivalik-class ships in terms of versatility, firepower and integration.
India's BrahMos system outpaces the CM-302 in both speed and operational versatility, while India's Barak-8 air defence missiles offer more effective protection than the LY-80N. Pakistan's fleet, though improving, remains focussed on regional sea denial rather than power projection.
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Furthermore, India is closing the gap on indigenous ship production. While Pakistan continues to depend on Chinese shipbuilding, India's ongoing construction of the Nilgiri-class and the upcoming Project 17B frigates further widens the qualitative and technological gap.
India's major frigates—Talwar, Shivalik and Nilgiri classes—integrate seamlessly with submarines, aircraft carriers and strategic assets, giving the navy a decisive edge. These ships are true force multipliers, capable of high-end combat operations across vast oceanic theatres.
As Samran Ali, a research officer at the Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research in Pakistan, noted in October 2020: 'The balance of power remains in India's favour and will tip even more in the future when India gets more ships like the Nilgiri and Talwar classes of frigates.'
Strengthening India's maritime dominance
The commissioning of INS Tamal and the testing of indigenous multi-influence ground mines signal significant progress in India's quest for maritime supremacy. These developments reflect a deliberate, layered strategy combining foreign partnerships, indigenous innovation and strategic foresight.
With BrahMos-armed stealth frigates like the INS Tamal and advanced undersea warfare technologies entering service, the Indian Navy is poised to ensure maritime dominance in the Indian Ocean Region. These platforms enhance India's deterrence posture, provide strategic depth and solidify the navy's status as a formidable regional force.
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