The Pribaltiisky Shipyards Yantar in Kaliningrad started building frigates for the Indian navy, Itar-Tass reported. The laying-down ceremony of the fist warship of the project will be held on Friday, which is scheduled to be attended by the Russian president's adviser and head of the Joint Ship-Building Corporation Alexander Burutin; Indian Ambassador to Russia Kanval Sibal, and other high-ranking officials. The contract for the construction of three frigates for the Indian navy was signed in New Delhi in July 2006. This is the biggest order, awarded to the Yantar shipyards over the past few years. The frigates are to be turned over to the Indian navy in 2012. Frigates (escort ships according to the Russian classification) are among the most advanced surface warships of the 21st century. These are multifunctional ships with a limited deadweight, capable of resolving a broad range of tasks both at seas and oceans. They are designed to conduct combat operations against surface ships and submarines at seas and oceans as well as to repulse air attacks.
