Keltron Becomes a Matter of Pride; Contributes to INS Tamala Construction

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (Keltron) has played a crucial role in the construction of the Indian Navy’s latest guided missile warship, INS Tamala, reaffirming its reputation as a leading public sector electronics manufacturer in Kerala. Under the LDF government, the state-run agency has once again contributed significantly to India’s strategic defence capabilities.
According to Industries Minister P. Rajeeve, Keltron was responsible for the manufacturing and installation of two key components for the 4,000-tonne multi-role stealth frigate—the echo sounder and the underwater communication system. These systems are essential for navigation and communication in naval operations. A specialised team from Keltron travelled to Russia to complete the installation work after successfully finishing all performance tests.
The warship was constructed at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia, and marks the final foreign-built vessel to be inducted into the Indian Navy’s fleet. With this, India will now focus entirely on the indigenous development of its future warships under the ‘Make in India’ defence initiative.
INS Tamala belongs to the Talwar-class frigates (Project 1135.6 series) and is the eighth ship in this line. It is also the second vessel in the upgraded Tushil-class series. The previous seven ships in the Talwar class are all part of the Navy’s Western Fleet under the Western Naval Command. The Tamala is based on the design of the Russian Krivak-class warships, known for their agility and multi-role capabilities.
Measuring 125 metres in length and weighing approximately 3,900 tonnes, the warship integrates a combination of advanced Indian and Russian technologies. It has been built to carry out anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare roles with enhanced stealth and combat capabilities.
The vessel is equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles capable of engaging both sea and land targets, surface-to-air missiles, a 100 mm main gun, and 30 mm close-in weapon systems for defence against aerial threats. It also features anti-submarine rocket launchers and heavyweight torpedoes for undersea warfare. Modern onboard systems include fully automated defences against nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) threats, along with fire-control systems that can be operated from protected and shielded control stations.