After Gorshkov, Moscow-Delhi spar over submarine

India's defence ties with Russia continue to steadily nosedive. Amid the ongoing rancour over the huge delay and cost overrun in refit of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, a spat has now erupted between Moscow and New Delhi over the upgradation of an Indian submarine.

India has point-blank refused to take delivery of the Kilo-class submarine, INS Sindhuvijay, whose extensive refit began at Zvyozdochka shipyard near St Petersburg in late-2005.

"We have have refused to accept the submarine due to material deficiencies in it. Since ice has set in the bay there, certain systems and equipment on board the vessel can now only be tested after some months," admitted an official.

Sources said the all-important Klub-S land-attack cruise missiles, with a strike range of almost 300 km, being fitted on the submarine had failed to work in six consecutive test firings at the Barents Sea test range in September-November last year. "This will lead to a delay of almost a year since the missile systems will have to be rectified and undergo acceptance trials after the snow melts. Some of the 52 crew members have, in fact, returned to India," said a source.

The Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had in July 2006 cleared the upgradation of six Kilo-class submarines with the Klub-S 3M-14E land-attack cruise missiles at a cost of Rs 844.58 crore.

This is part of the overall process of modernising the Navy's 10 Kilo-class submarines out of the 16 diesel-electric submarines in its underwater combat arm, which were inducted from Russia between 1986 and 2000. Apart from the missiles, the refit involves new sonars, electronic warfare systems and automated integrated weapon control systems.

This new controversy is reflective of the bitterness which has crept into the long-standing Indo-Russian defence relationship. India is upset with Russia for not sticking to delivery schedules of contracted weapon systems and failing to provide uninterrupted supply of spares, apart from jacking up costs mid-way through execution of agreements.

The most visible symbol of this acrimony is the tussle over Admiral Gorshkov, with Russia demanding a staggering $1.2 billion more to refurbish it, apart from pushing back the delivery date to 2012-2013.

This amounts to Russia reneging from the $1.5-billion package deal signed with India in January 2004, which included the refit of the 44,570-tonne Gorshkov as well as 16 MiG-29K 'Fulcrum' fighters and Kamov helicopters to operate from it. The warship was earlier supposed to join the Indian Navy by August 2008.

Another big naval project to be hit by delay is the the Rs 5,514-crore (around $1.4-billion) one for construction of three more Talwar-class "stealth" frigates at Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad.

Moreover, the transfer of technology for the indigenous production of 1,000 T-90S main-battle tanks from Russia is yet to materialise.

This even though India imported 310 T-90S tanks for over Rs 3,625 crore under a 2001 contract earlier. And then, last November, it signed a Rs 4,900-crore contract for another 347 T-90S tanks.

News Source : Samachar