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 Indian Naval Ship Beas is scheduled to visit the port of St. Petersburg from AM 03 June 2009 to AM 07 June 2009. The visit will be followed by Joint Exercises (PASSEX) with the Russian Navy from AM 07 June 2009 to PM 08 June 2009. Press and media briefing is scheduled to be held onboard Beas from 1840 to 1855 hrs on 03 June 2009. Representatives of the media wishing to participate in the briefing may approach Consulate General of India, St. Petersburg.
 INS Beas is the third ship of the indigenously designed and built Brahmaputra Class guided missile frigate, 125 meters in length and with a maximum breadth of 14.5 meters, Beas displaces 3600 tonnes. The ship is commanded by Capt SV Bhokare. The ship is propelled by two steam turbines and can sustain speeds in excess of 30 knots. INS Beas has long legs and is capable of covering over 4,500 nautical miles without replenishment.
2. What makes Beas unique is that, she is, in every respect a modern and extremely capable frontline warship, almost entirely Indian… in design…in her propulsion package…in her state-of-art sensor suite…and in her deadly weapon package. Her extensive suite of long-range sensors (incorporating radars, sonar's and electronic warfare equipment) enables her to simultaneously address targets operating in all the three mediums, namely the surface, underwater and air.
3. Her combat capacity is greatly augmented by its capability to embark two multi-mission-capable 10-tonne Seaking helicopters. For long-range engagements of surface targets, INS Beas has sixteen ‘URAN’ tactical surface-to-surface with a range in excess of 130 km. Threats from the air, be they in the form of enemy aircraft or missiles, are dealt with through the ship’s multi-layered anti-aircraft systems. These range from ‘soft-kill measures’ such as electronic jamming of the incoming missile through the latest Indian EW system Ellora, to ‘hard kill’ measures involving physical destruction of the missile using the Barak Anti Missile Defence system and missiles, Indian manufactured 76mm Super-Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM) and the four multi-barreled 30mm gun mounts that constitute the ship’s Close In-weapon System.
4. The ship is an epitome of self reliance and indigenisation, as far as the design, metallurgy and propulsion systems are concerned. This aptly reflects the capability of the Indian military-industrial complex with significant contribution from Indian industrial majors. In other areas, the ship is an amalgamation of the technical knowhow of the industrial and military majors of both Indian and foreign origins.
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I'd like to begin by saying that I am looking forward to returning to Russia. My family and I have had some memorable times in Moscow, and will be catching up with our old friends. 
