Posted on 09/01/2007 9:18:11 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
India begins talk with Russia for 2nd nuclear submarine
Shishir Gupta
With just over a year left for India to get its first leased nuclear submarine from Russia, New Delhi last week quietly revived its dialogue with Moscow for a second Akula-class submarine.
While India has openly denied any interest in a nuclear submarine, talks on leasing the second submarine figured in a meeting on August 27 between National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and senior Russian officials including First Deputy Prime Minister of Sergei Ivanov, and Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov.
According to sources, a decision on the second lease may be taken on the sidelines of the India-Russia summit in December this year.
When New Delhi signed the lease contract for the first nuclear submarine from Russia in 2004-2005, it had also initiated negotiations for the second submarine but discussions broke down due to differences over terms and conditions.
But this year, the government is under pressure from the Navy to clinch the deal. Government sources told The Sunday Express that India is worried about a shift in focus of China’s military doctrine from land to sea.
Beijing is already firming up bilateral ties with Pakistan (Gwadar port) and Myanmar to enhance its involvement in the complex energy security scenario that’s currently unfolding in the Indian Ocean.
Besides, given the huge volumes of oil traffic between Persian Gulf and Malacca Straits towards North Asia, the Indian Navy is also interested in having a long-range nuclear platform on the eastern as well as western seaboards. Of course, a nuclear submarine also adds up to a second strike capability.
India’s first submarine on lease from Moscow, being built at Komsomolsk-on-Amur shipyard near Khabarovsk city in far-east Russia, is expected to be ready for sea trials in 2009. Armed with 300 km-range Klub land attack missiles, the Akula class submarine has a double hull that allows it to dive deeper than any modern attack version - it is also one of the quietest in its category. The Indian Navy’s nuclear experience is limited to INS Chakra, a Charlie class nuclear submarine taken on lease from Russia from 1988-91.
Apart from the submarine, Narayanan also discussed with officials the need for Russia to sign the integrity pact to participate in future hardware sales to India. Apparently, Russia is ready to sign the pact, which is aimed at eliminating middle-men in arms deals, as its committed hardware sales to India stand at $14.6 billion.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister A.K. Antony is going to Russia for the Indo-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation from October 17-19 with an eye of acquiring 347 T-90 S tanks for the Army — India already has 310 such tanks.
They didn’t learn from the first one? All the Russian subs were so noisy, the world knew of their movements even before the Russian sailors did.
The Akulas are very quiet.The first leased sub was for training Indian crews,not for combat.
Besides,the Indian navy is not going to take on the US or NATO-these subs are for deterring the PRC.
The alleged Akula lease has been bounced around for about 3-4 years now. Nothing has ever come of it and I am not sure anything ever will. There are only 3 Akula 2 hulls completed and all are presently in Russian service. Aside from the Vepr, the Gepard, and the Nerpa, there may be one incomplete hull remaining. It is likely that the hull is not in very good condition considering the hulls were laid down in the early 90’s but were left incomplete for over a decade (It took over 12 years for the Nerpa to be completed). I suspect this is going to be like the Tu-22M bombers that India was supposed to purchase, non-existent, but it hasn’t stopped media hacks from passing off speculation as fact.
and the spies that sneaked in our submarines figured it out that they improved their own (from StrategyPage article).
Any plans for considering nuclear subs from UK or France instead?
My old sub built in 1965 was still quiter than an Akula...i prefer them to buy Russkie.
Ever directly competed with the Akula??
Nope-neither has any modern subs to spare & both will probably unwilling as well.
One of my neighbor's brothers spent 20 years on 'boomers'. He says the same thing.....
Why would admitting to that (either way) matter???
Define compete???
(this should be good)
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0709/02insat4cr/
India’s large satellite launcher returns to flight
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: September 2, 2007
It was a day of redemption for India’s space program Sunday, when the nation’s most powerful rocket returned to the skies for the first time since a booster engine failure doomed a launch last year.
INSAT 4CR was released into an elliptical transfer orbit stretching from a low point of about 104 miles to a high point of 21,568 miles. The orbit’s inclination was 20.7 degrees, according to the Indian Space Research Organization.
Can neither confirm or deny.....;)
Yeah sure!!
Actually...i’m pretty sure that the Akulas were doing westpacs only when i was in...i only did northern runs so i didn’t get a chance...wish i could have though.
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