INS Tushil is expected to significantly bolster the Indian Navy's operational capability in the Indian Ocean, a region that has witnessed increasing forays by China's PLA Navy in the last few years

The warship has been constructed in Russia as part of an over USD 2.5-billion deal that New Delhi had inked with Moscow in 2016 for four stealth frigates for the Indian Navy

Under the deal, two ships were to be built in Russia, while the other two were to be manufactured in India

In his remarks at the ceremony, Singh described the commissioning of the warship as a proud testament to India's growing maritime strength and significant milestone in long-standing ties with Russia

"The ship is a big proof of the collaborative prowess of Russian and Indian industries. It exemplifies India's journey towards technological excellence through jointmanship," he said

Singh said 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 ship's construction was closely monitored by an Indian team of specialists from the 'Warship Overseeing Team' stationed at Kaliningrad