Indian Navy reinducts fast attack craft Tarmugli returned by Maldives

The 22-year-old ship served under different names in both the Indian Navy and the Maldivian Naval Defence Force. Refurbished in 2018, INS Tarmugli is now equipped with MTU engines, modern communication equipment, a 30-mm gun, and an advanced radar system.

Anish Kumar

First Published Dec 14, 2023, 11:30 PM IST | Last Updated Dec 14, 2023, 11:30 PM IST

Indian Navy on Thursday re-inducted the Trinkat class fast attack craft, INS Tarmugli at the naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam after the Maldivian Naval Defence Force returned her in May this year. The commissioning ceremony was held at an impressive ceremony under the aegis of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command, wherein Chief of Materiel Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani was the Chief Guest.

The refurbished 22-year-old Trinkat class ship was gifted by the Manmohan Singh government to the Maldivian Naval Defence Force in 2006. She had served with the Maldivian force for over 17 years before coming back to India.

"The ship has a unique distinction of having served under the flag of two nations with three names during her distinguished service till date," Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.

Before being gifted to the Maldives, the ship had served in the Indian Navy as INS Tillanchang. As part of India’s diplomatic outreach programme in the Indian Ocean Region, the ship was given to the Maldives’ maritime force.

It was commissioned in the Maldives Naval Defence Force as MCGS Huravee on April 16, 2006, and served there till its decommissioning in May 2023.

In 2018, it was refitted at a naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam. Currently, the warship is fitted with MTU engines, the latest communication equipment, a 30-mm gun and an advanced radar system and will be extensively used for coastal surveillance and protection of the country’s offshore development areas in the Krishna Godavari Basin along the East Coast of India.

INS Tarmugli is being commanded by Cdr Satpal Singh Sangwan and will operate under the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Andhra Pradesh). "The 46-metre ship, named after a picturesque island in the Andaman group, displaces 320-tonne and can achieve speeds in excess of 30 knots," Commander Madhwal said.

In May this year, India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh visited the Maldives to further strengthen the bilateral ties and handed over two “Made-in-India” platforms --- Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) and a Landing Craft Assault ship to the Maldives National Defence Forces. It should be noted that it was pro-India government in place in the island nation.

In September, there was change in the Maldivian politics and the newly elected president, Mohamed Muizzu, expressed a preference for closer ties with China. After assuming power in the archipelago nation, the president asked Indian military personnel to leave the atoll nation in November.

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