Russia Confirms Talks to India About Leasing Subs
By NABI ABDULLAEV
Published: 17 Dec 14:06 EST (19:06 GMT)
Russia is ready to lease several Shchuka-B class (NATO codename Akula) nuclear submarines to India, the director of the Russian Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation said Dec. 15.
"Yes, there is a true possibility to lease to India for 10 years several of our submarines with nuclear reactors of the same class and project like Nerpa submarine that had the accident aboard in November in the Sea of Japan," Mikhail Dmitriyev told ITAR-TASS news agency.
He emphasized that "there is no talk about selling submarines, but about renting them for the use of the Indian Navy."
Three navies and 17 civilian specialists from Amur Shipbuilding Plant were asphyxiated by Freon that also sent 21 others to the hospital on Nov. 8, when the Nerpa was being tested off Russia's eastern coast.
The Indian media has reported, and continued to report after the accident, that construction of the Nerpa was resumed with Indian funding after Russia agreed to lease the submarine to the Indian Navy for 10 years on its completion. The lease was reportedly a part the larger $650 deal involving refitting of the Admiral Gorshkov Soviet aircraft carrier and passing it to the Indian Navy. The submarine was to be named Chakra-2 and join the Indian Navy in the second half of 2009, the reports said.
Russian officials, including Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, have repeatedly denied that Nerpa or any other nuclear submarine is to be passed abroad.
But India, one of Russia's biggest arms customers over the last two decades and a traditional ally in Asia dating back to the Soviet times, leased a nuclear Akula-class submarine from Russia from 1988 to 1991.
President Dmitry Medvedev put an end to the controversy in his interview to the Indian journalists before his visit to India on Dec. 4, saying that Russia will lease the nuclear-powered submarine to the Indian Navy.
Dmitriyev's latest remarks refer to several submarines.
Dmitriyev also said that the Indian military will buy 80 Mi-17 multipurpose helicopters within the next two to three years for $1.5 billion. The contract, which also includes training of pilots, was signed on Dec. 5, during Medvedev's visit to India.
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