What are they?

• • They’re mostly used to carry out a variety of naval operations, such as finding and destroying enemy submarines and huge surface ships.

• The frigate supports naval forces during air, surface and sub-surface missions.

• Krivak-III class frigates will be armed with the BrahMos anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM), reinforcing their reputation as the world’s most-heavily armed 4,000-tonne warships.

The history

• In 2016, India and Russia signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for four Krivak or Talwar class stealth frigates — two to be procured directly from Russia and two to be built by the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL)

Why in News:

• The first of two additional Krivak class stealth frigates being built by Russia is expected to be delivered to India in the middle of 2023.

References:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/russia-to-deliver-first-stealth-frigate-by-mid-2023/article36062179.ece
2. https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/navy-agrees-to-buy-four-russian-frigates-for-3-bn-118022600021_1.html