Indian submarine sent for major refit stuck in sanctions-hit Russia - The Times of India
India is facing “some problems” in transporting back one of its diesel-electric submarines after a protracted major refit in Russia, which has been slapped with major sanctions and embargoes by the US-led western countries, according to The Times of India.
Initial deliveries of the third operational squadron of the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems from Russia, however, have now begun after some delay under the $5.43 billion (Rs 40,000 crore) contract inked in 2018.
With well over 60% of its military hardware being of Soviet or Russian origin, India continues to grapple with alternate payment mechanisms for new inductions and maintenance of existing inventory in the wake of western sanctions on Moscow. “But it’s being managed,” a source told TOI.
The Navy in October last year had wanted to arrange the “sea-lift” of its Russian-origin INS Sindhuratna on a commercial transport dock ship from the Severodvinsk shipyard in Russia to Mumbai.
But the force has now changed the tender or RFP (request for proposal) for transportation of the Kilo-class submarine, with a displacement of 2,441-tonne, from Tromso or any other port in Norway.
The Navy wants INS Sindhuratna to be loaded on a transport ship next month, with the subsequent 35-day transit to Mumbai planned via the Cape of Good Hope.
INS Sindhuratna is the second of four old Kilo-class submarines earmarked to undergo the modernization upgrade, each costing around Rs 1,400 crore, to stem the major depletion in India’s conventional underwater combat fleet.
Apart from the five new French-origin Scorpene or Kalvari-class submarines, with the last getting set for delivery by Mazagon Docks this year under the Rs 23,000 crore deal, the Navy is left with just six old Russian and four German HDW submarines.
On the S-400 front, India has till now managed to stave off sanctions under the US law CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act), which seeks to prevent countries from buying Russian weapons.
IAF is slated to get five S-400 squadrons, which can detect and then intercept hostile fighters, strategic bombers and missiles at a range of 380-km, by end-2023.
While the first S-400 squadron is based in northwest India to cater for both Pakistan and China, the second is deployed specifically for the northern borders in the eastern sector, as was earlier reported by TOI.
India, however, has scrapped the long-pending deal for 48 additional Mi-17 V5 medium-lift helicopters as well as “deferred” the acquisition of 21 more MiG-29 and 12 Sukhoi-30MKI fighters from Russia.
