Indian nuclear submarine INS Chakra, purchased from Russia, was dry docked last week after its front portion was damaged while entering the harbour in Visakhapatnam
NEW DELHI(Pakistan Point News - 13th Feb, 2018 ) Indian nuclear submarine INS Chakra, purchased from Russia, was dry docked last week after its front portion was damaged while entering the harbour in Visakhapatnam. According to Indian officials, Russian authorities have demanded over $20 million for rectifying the damage suffered by nuclear submarine INS Chakra, even as the government is seeking to fix responsibility for the accident.
The developments around INS Chakra come even as the indigenously built nuclear ballistic missile submarine INS Arihant, which had suffered extensive damage because of human error over a year ago, is yet to be back to active sailing. After extensive flushing and replacement of many of its pipes, Arihant was floated recently but sailing it will take more time, the defence sources said. On INS Chakra, Russian officials have conveyed to India that they would be making all the replacement panels in their own facility and would not be using any Indian facilities.
In an interview to The Hindu last week, Russian Ambassador Nikolai Kudashev said he was not aware when the nuclear submarine would sail again. Meanwhile, government sources indicate that they want responsibility fixed for the damage suffered by INS Chakra. As part of the firm stand taken by the government, it is believed to have put on hold the proposal to appoint Inspector General of Nuclear Safety Vice Admiral Srikant as the new Commandant of the New Delhi-based National Defence College (NDC), until responsibility is fixed for the Chakra mishap.
