Ukraine agrees to provide engines for Indian frigates built in Russia

Ukraine has agreed to provide gas turbine engines for improved Krivak-class (Project 11356) frigates that India will acquire from Russia, India’s Defense Minister told reporters on Tuesday.

Based on Krivak-class, or Talwar-class as the ships that were built for India are called, the improved version was supposed to be a class of six new frigates that the Russian Navy would operate.

Three ships from the first batch – Admiral Grigorovich, Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov – were successfully completed by Yantar Shipyard with gas turbine engines delivered by the Ukrainian Zorya-Mashproyekt.

However, following the 2014 Crimea conflict, Ukraine refused to deliver the remaining three engines forcing Russia to consider transferring the remaining three frigates to India. Construction on two second-batch ships was already underway at the time.

After a meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in October this year, it was announced that India would acquire a total of four improved Krivak-class frigates. There was also a proposal to build two frigates in India and two in Russia.

On October 25, India’s Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters at the Naval Commanders’ Conference in New Delhi that Ukraine has agreed to provide the gas turbines for the ships.

Project 11356 frigates are designed for anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare in the high seas, and anti-aircraft actions both independently and as an escort ship. Measuring 124,8 meters in length, the frigates displace 3620 tonnes.

The frigates will possibly be equipped with BrahMos missiles developed jointly by India and Russia.