Current Affairs: Passage of the Day - 11 December 2024 | Current Affairs: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - CLAT PDF Download

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
INS Tushil, the country’s latest stealth missile frigate, was on Monday commissioned into the Indian Navy at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia, in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh, who described the warship as a “proud testament” to India’s growing maritime might and a “significant milestone” in the long-standing friendship between the two countries.
In his address at the commissioning ceremony, Singh said Russia’s support to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) campaign reflected the deep bilateral ties between the two countries.
“Made in India content is continuously increasing in many ships, including INS Tushil. The ship is a big proof of the collaborative prowess of Russian and Indian industries.”
Tushil (or the protector shield) is an upgraded Krivak III class frigate of Project 1135.6, and six such vessels are already in service --- three Talwar class ships, built at Baltic shipyard in St Petersburg, and three follow-on Teg class ships, built at the Yantar shipyard.
Tushil has an indigenous content of around 26%, double that of the previous Teg-class frigates, HT has learnt. This includes contributions from 33 firms including Bharat Electronics Limited, BrahMos Aerospace (an India-Russia joint venture), and Nova Integrated Systems (a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Advanced Systems Limited).
Singh, who began his three-day visit to Russia on Monday, exuded confidence that New Delhi and Moscow will realise the full potential of their bilateral cooperation in the coming times on the back of “new energy and enthusiasm”, adding that the two countries will not only strengthen the existing areas of collaboration but also accord priority to working in new and unexplored areas.
“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,” he pointed out.
Tushil is part of an over $2.5-billion deal with Russia for four more Krivak/Talwar class stealth frigates for the Indian Navy, two of which are being constructed at the Yantar shipyard and the remaining two will be built at the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) with technology transfer from Russia. The second Russia-made frigate. Tamal, is expected to be commissioned into the Indian Navy in mid-2025.
Singh touched upon the deep ties between the two navies, underlining that technical and operational collaboration was constantly touching new heights amid the “holistically growing relations between the two countries” under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He talked about the Indian Navy’s commitment to peace and security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
“Our Navy has foiled the designs of pirates, arms and drug smugglers and non-state actors in various hot spots. From the Gulf of Oman to the Gulf of Aden, from Suez to Malacca and from Australia to Madagascar, the Indian Navy is playing the essential role of a net security provider in IOR. India, along with its friendly countries, believes in ensuring that maritime trade in the region remains safe and secure,” Singh said.
Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, who also attended the commissioning ceremony, congratulated those involved in the project, especially the shipyard workers and the Russian and Indian original equipment manufacturers, for their “exceptional work, flawless integration of Indian systems with the Russian ones and contribution to the quality capability upgrades achieved in this project.”
Those present included Russian deputy minister of defence Alexander Vasilyevich Fomin, Kaliningrad governor Alexey Sergeyevich Besprozvannykh, commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Aleksandr Alekseyevich Moiseyev, and Indian ambassador to Russia Vinay Kumar.
INS Tushil is designed for blue water operations across the spectrum of naval warfare in all four dimensions, air, surface, underwater and electromagnetic, the defence ministry said in a statement, giving details of the 3,900-tonne warship’s capabilities.
It is armed with a range of advanced weapons, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Shtil surface-to-air missiles with enhanced range, upgraded medium-range anti-air and surface guns, optically controlled close-range rapid fire gun system, torpedoes, rockets, and advanced electronic warfare and communication suite.
It is also capable of operating the upgraded anti-submarine and airborne early warning helicopters, the Kamov-28 and Kamov-31. The ship, powered by an advanced gas turbine propulsion plant with modern controls, is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots. “High degree of automation and stealth features further enhance its combat capability and survivability,” the ministry added.
It is commanded by Captain Peter Varghese, a gunnery and missile specialist.
The ship’s keel was laid in July 2013, launched in water in October 2021, sailed out for maiden sea trials in January 2024, and completed an exhaustive schedule of factory trials and delivery acceptance trials (both in harbour and at sea) by September 24.
With impressive speeds exceeding 30 knots, INS Tushil is designed for agility and versatility, and is capable of outmanoeuvring threats and swiftly responding to dynamic maritime scenarios, navy officials said.
On Tuesday, Singh and his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov will co-chair the 21st meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) in Moscow.
To be sure, the sanctions slapped on Russia by the United States and its allies after the Ukraine war delayed some projects and raised questions about the procurement of spares for existing Russian-origin weapons, as well as maintenance and servicing of legacy equipment.
[Excerpt from HT "INS Tushil Commissioning Ceremony in Russia" Dated 11/12/24]
Q1: Where is Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioning INS Tushil?
(a) Mumbai Dockyard
(b) Yantra Shipyard, Kaliningrad
(c) Vishakhapatnam Port
(d) Sevmash Shipyard, Russia

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Q2: What type of naval vessel is INS Tushil?
(a) Aircraft carrier
(b) Multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate
(c) Amphibious assault ship
(d) Submarine

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Q3: What is the significance of commissioning INS Tushil?
(a) Decommissioning old ships
(b) Enhancing India’s naval capabilities with advanced technology
(c) Marking the end of naval cooperation with Russia
(d) Celebrating Indian Independence Day

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Q4: What event will Rajnath Singh co-chair during his visit to Russia?
(a) BRICS Summit
(b) 21st India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission meeting
(c) SCO Defence Ministers’ Meet
(d) G20 Defence Dialogue

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Q5: What topics will Singh and his Russian counterpart discuss during the meeting?
(a) Cultural exchange and trade
(b) Joint exercises, technology transfer, and procurement
(c) Climate change initiatives
(d) Economic sanctions

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