India to Lease New Nuclear Submarine from Russia
India is in final talks with Russia to lease a new nuclear attack submarine, giving a much needed boost to its depleting underwater fleet, the Times of India reported.
A decision, according to Indian analysts, will be taken during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit in Ufa.
The Modi-led government is looking to lease a newly built, customized submarine, unlike in the past when older vessels were refurbished and handed over to India.
India has the 'Chakra 2' Akula class nuclear submarine in service that is considered to be one of the deadliest non-US attack boats in the world. This submarine - a refurbished Soviet era boat - has been taken on a 10-year lease from Russia in 2012.
'Chakra 1', India's first nuclear submarine, was taken on a similar lease in the late 1980s.
The fact that India was considering the possibility of renting another Project 971 submarine came to light in December 2014. That is when the Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar said that his ministry was considering two options: the extension of the lease on the Chakra K-152 “Nepra” Class Project 971 submarine or renting a second ship of this project – the “Shchuka-B”.
India is embarking on a project to produce indigenous class of nuclear attack boats (SSNs) under new submarine program.
The plan, to build at least six SSNs in India, was given financial sanction in February and designers are already at work on the project that could cost upwards of billions of dollars.
Last week India’s Economic Times reported that the Indian conglomerate Reliance Infrastructure—which owns stakes in numerous Indian defense companies—is seeking Russian assistance for programs to locally produce nuclear submarines and other stealth warships.
