Arrival in London:
The Indian Navy’s newest multi-role stealth-guided missile arrival-ins-tushil-makes-waves-in-london-on-its-first-operational-voyage/” title=”Historic Arrival: INS Tushil Makes Waves in London on Its First Operational Voyage!”>frigate, INS Tushil, has arrived in London as its first stop during its inaugural operational deployment.
On Sunday, Commodore Robert Bellfield, the Royal Navy Commander for London and Eastern England, welcomed the Indian warship on behalf of the UK authorities. He was greeted by Captain Peter Varghese, who commands the vessel.
“It is a privilege to receive INS Tushil in London for her first international visit. This event underscores the strong ties between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy, highlighting our mutual interests as two nations,” Commodore Bellfield stated.
Sujit Ghosh, India’s Deputy High Commissioner to the UK, also visited INS Tushil while it was docked along the River Thames ahead of its scheduled departure on Monday evening.
#INSTushil India’s latest guided missile stealth frigate arrived in #London on #21Dec 24 during her maiden journey back to #India signaling a pivotal moment in enhancing naval collaboration between #IndianNavy & @RoyalNavy.
The visit aims to bolster bilateral relations… https://t.co/4ROjrRT8pn pic.twitter.com/g0AdSIvlH6
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) December 23, 2024
The frigate was constructed in Russia and officially commissioned on December 9 with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh present at the ceremony. It departed from Kaliningrad on December 17.
As per a statement from India’s Ministry of Defence, INS Tushil will navigate through various bodies of water including the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean before reaching home via the Indian Ocean. The ship is set to make several port stops at friendly nations throughout this route.
“INS Tushil’s inaugural mission includes crucial facets of naval operations such as diplomacy and military readiness,” mentioned an official communication. “The ship will engage in joint patrols and conduct maritime partnership exercises with several navies along its journey while addressing piracy risks.”
During these scheduled port calls, INS Tushil aims to enhance capacities alongside host navies while fostering interactions with senior military officials and government representatives. These engagements will also provide opportunities to connect with members of India’s diaspora residing across these regions.
The Ministry further highlighted that INS Tushil’s visits and collaborative exercises are directed towards strengthening India’s maritime alliances with adjacent countries while reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding maritime communities across global waters.
