Indian Navy inducts BrahMos-capable warship

India has inducted a warship capable of carrying BrahMos supersonic missiles into its naval fleet.

The advanced stealth frigate, INS Taragiri, was commissioned at Visakhapatnam, the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command, by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday.

“This commissioning highlights the strategic and maritime importance of India’s eastern seaboard as well as the Indian Navy’s sustained focus on strengthening its combat readiness and operational might while strongly reinforcing the objectives of Aatmanirbhar Bharat [Self-reliant India],” Singh said in a post on X.

INS Taragiri was designed by the Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Singh said.

The 6,670-tonne warship, built with over 75% indigenous content, signifies a major advancement in naval engineering and the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Taragiri boasts of a powerful weapon suite and advanced systems for versatile maritime operations.

It is designed for high-speed, high-endurance operations and is driven by a Combined Diesel or Gas propulsion plant.

Apart from BrahMos, the ship is also equipped with medium-range surface-to-air missiles and an anti-submarine warfare suite, according to reports.

BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles are jointly developed by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya rocket design bureau, which produces Oniks missiles.

INS Taragiri is also envisaged to play a key role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, apart from its combat potential.