The Gorshkov is coming, at $1.5 bn
RAJAT PANDIT
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2004 12:00:30 AM ]
NEW DELHI : After eight years of intense haggling, the Navy can now gleefully claim: “Admiral Gorshkov ahoy!” India on Tuesday inked the $ 1.5-billion (Rs 6,900 crore) package deal with Russia for the acquisition of the decommissioned aircraft carrier, a complement of 28 MiG-29Ks and other related systems.
The deal for the 44,570-tonne Gorshkov, a power-projection carrier which will become fully operational only after an extensive refit by mid-2008, marks a “historic landmark” in bilateral strategic ties, said defence minister George Fernandes and his Russian counterpart Sergei Ivanov.
Both of them denied that the overall negotiations also covered the proposed lease of two Akula class nuclear submarines by India . But defence sources insisted India was moving towards leasing these submarines — which can operate at much higher speeds and ranges than the conventional diesel-electric ones — from Russia despite American pressure.
” India wants to lease them for five to 10 years to relearn its brief experience of operating nuclear submarines,” said a source. India had operated a Skat class Russian nuclear submarine, rechristened INS Chakra, from 1988 to 1991 before Washington put pressure on Moscow into not prolonging the lease.
Ivanov, however, admitted negotiations were on for India ‘s plan to lease four Tupolev-22M3 nuclear-capable bombers from Russia . “They are non-strategic aircraft in terms of their range,” he emphasised. These bombers, which can attack mobile and stationary targets after penetrating enemy air defences, have a “tactical radius” of 2,200 km.
As for the Gorshkov contract, which comes close after the Rs 8,000-crore British Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) deal, Ivanov said it incorporated life-time upgrades and technical assistance
Sign In
January 20, 2004 at 7:09 pm