Russia to Lease Second Submarine to India
Russia has agreed to lease a second nuclear attack submarine (SSN) to to the Indian Navy, as part of enhanced bilateral defence cooperation, in a deal which will cost around $2 billion.
A transfer agreement had been signed to lease a second nuclear submarine of project 971, in the Indian state of Goa, reports the ‘Vedomosti’ newspaper.
Sources said the deal was struck during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 15 on the sidelines of the BRICS meet in Goa.
Russian Navy will only transfer the next SSN after repairing and modernizing it, potentially making significant hull modifications to meet Indian specifications.
The Akula 2 class submarine is expected to arrive in Indian waters in 2020-21. Capable of sailing at speeds up to 35 knots (nearly 65 km per hour) under water, it is among the quietest Russian submarines.
The Indian Navy already operates an Akula 2 class nuclear submarine, INS Chakra (formerly known as K-152 Nerpa) , which was leased by Russia for 10 years and commissioned on April 4, 2012 after India paid for its completion of its construction and sea-trials.
For the last several months, there have been reports that the Indian Navy was keen on leasing the much more advanced Project 885 Yasen Class nuclear attack submarine, the newest class of submarine to enter Russia's arsenal.
However, at the moment, only one submarine of the Yasen class, the Severodvinsk, has entered service with the Russian Navy with construction of the seven remaining submarines of the class progressing slowly.
