NEW DELHI: India is set to receive the first of its two guided-missile warships being built in Russia by the end of this month, following a long delay due to ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. However, the delivery of 2 remaining squadrons of S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems is likely to be delayed until 2026, and lease of a nuclear-powered attack submarine until 2028.
The multi-role frigate, with a displacement of almost 4,000-tonne, will be handed over to the Indian crew of over 200 officers and sailors stationed at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad for the last few months, defence sources told TOI.
The warship will then be commissioned as INS Tushil by defence minister Rajnath Singh, who is slated to visit the country early-Dec for India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) meet.
“The second frigate, Tamal, will be handed over early next year. Both the stealth frigates will be packed with weapons, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, and sensors to undertake a variety of missions,” a source said. India in Oct 2018 had inked an umbrella agreement for procurement of four Grigorovich-class frigates , with the first two to be imported from Russia for around Rs 8,000 crore.
The other two are being built at Goa Shipyard (GSL) with transfer of technology at an overall cost of around Rs 13,000 crore, with the first being “launched” as Triput in July this year. These four warships will add to the six such Russian frigates, three Talwar-class and three Teg-class warships, already inducted in the Navy from 2003-04 onwards.
Delivery of fourth and fifth squadrons of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, under the $5.43 billion (Rs 40,000 crore) contract inked with Russia in 2018, in turn, will take place only by 2026. “India has asked Russia for faster delivery. But it looks difficult because Russia’s entire defence-industrial production is geared towards Ukraine war,” another source said.
IAF has deployed the first three S-400 squadrons, which can detect and destroy hostile strategic bombers, jets, spy planes, missiles and drones at a range of 380-km, in north-west and east India to cater for both China and Pakistan, as reported by TOI earlier.
On underwater front, India in the past has operated two nuclear-powered attack submarines armed with conventional weapons (called SSNs), INS Chakra-1 and INS Chakra-2, after leasing them from Russia. Then, in March 2019, India inked an over $3 billion (Rs 21,000 crore) deal with Russia to lease a more advanced SSN for 10 years, but its delivery has also been delayed beyond 2027. “Russia has been asked to deliver the SSN earlier, but it is doubtful before 2028,” the source said.
The PM-led cabinet committee on security on Oct 9, incidentally, cleared the indigenous project to build two SSNs at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore, but it will take at least a decade for them to roll out.
India had of course commissioned its second nuclear-powered submarine with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles (called SSBNs) as INS Arighaat in August and plans to induct the third as INS Aridhaman early next year, in a major boost for strategic deterrence.
The multi-role frigate, with a displacement of almost 4,000-tonne, will be handed over to the Indian crew of over 200 officers and sailors stationed at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad for the last few months, defence sources told TOI.
The warship will then be commissioned as INS Tushil by defence minister Rajnath Singh, who is slated to visit the country early-Dec for India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) meet.
“The second frigate, Tamal, will be handed over early next year. Both the stealth frigates will be packed with weapons, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, and sensors to undertake a variety of missions,” a source said. India in Oct 2018 had inked an umbrella agreement for procurement of four Grigorovich-class frigates , with the first two to be imported from Russia for around Rs 8,000 crore.
The other two are being built at Goa Shipyard (GSL) with transfer of technology at an overall cost of around Rs 13,000 crore, with the first being “launched” as Triput in July this year. These four warships will add to the six such Russian frigates, three Talwar-class and three Teg-class warships, already inducted in the Navy from 2003-04 onwards.
Delivery of fourth and fifth squadrons of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, under the $5.43 billion (Rs 40,000 crore) contract inked with Russia in 2018, in turn, will take place only by 2026. “India has asked Russia for faster delivery. But it looks difficult because Russia’s entire defence-industrial production is geared towards Ukraine war,” another source said.
IAF has deployed the first three S-400 squadrons, which can detect and destroy hostile strategic bombers, jets, spy planes, missiles and drones at a range of 380-km, in north-west and east India to cater for both China and Pakistan, as reported by TOI earlier.
On underwater front, India in the past has operated two nuclear-powered attack submarines armed with conventional weapons (called SSNs), INS Chakra-1 and INS Chakra-2, after leasing them from Russia. Then, in March 2019, India inked an over $3 billion (Rs 21,000 crore) deal with Russia to lease a more advanced SSN for 10 years, but its delivery has also been delayed beyond 2027. “Russia has been asked to deliver the SSN earlier, but it is doubtful before 2028,” the source said.
The PM-led cabinet committee on security on Oct 9, incidentally, cleared the indigenous project to build two SSNs at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore, but it will take at least a decade for them to roll out.
India had of course commissioned its second nuclear-powered submarine with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles (called SSBNs) as INS Arighaat in August and plans to induct the third as INS Aridhaman early next year, in a major boost for strategic deterrence.
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