India signed an agreement with Russia to lease another nuclear attack submarine (SSN) Chakra-3, media reported on Thursday citing sources
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th March, 2019) India signed an agreement with Russia to lease another nuclear attack submarine (SSN) Chakra-3, media reported on Thursday citing sources.There has been no official confirmation of this information either from the Indian or the Russian side.
According to The Print, the deal worth $3 billion was inked in New Delhi. The submarine is expected to be equipped with Indian communication systems and sensors, and sources predict that it will be in service with India for at least 10 years.
On March 4, The Economic Times newspaper said citing its sources that Russia and India would sign the deal on March 7. Chakra-3 is expected to replace Chakra-2 that was obtained under similar conditions in 2012. The submarine is likely to be delivered to the Indian Navy by 2025.
The new submarine will be the third Russian SSN to be operated by India since New Delhi took a three-year lease on the original INS Chakra in 1988. It will increase India's strike capability in the region, as the submarine can remain underwater for months, making it almost impossible for enemy vessels to detect it.
Discussion about the deal started in 2013, and solidified in 2015, when both sides began negotiating technical and price specifications.
India is currently expanding its nuclear weapon inventory. At present, the Indian Navy has a total of 13 conventional submarines plus one domestically-produced Arihant-class nuclear submarine and one Akula-class submarine on lease from Russia.
