New Russian nuclear submarine for India

Source  :  http://indian.ruvr.ru

According to the newspaper “The Times of India”, very soon, the Indian Navy may take on lease at least one more Russian nuclear attack submarine of the Project 971. It will be in addition to the nuclear submarine of the same project, which is named “Chakra” by the Indian Navy and was leased by Russia in 2012.

The second boat will significantly enhance capabilities of the Indian Navy, considers Vasily Kashin, expert from the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies.

Now, the Indians will always have at least one modern nuclear submarine, ready for combat missions at high seas. The indigenously produced Indian nuclear submarine “Arihant” is just at the trial stages and is not likely to be inducted into active service in the nearest future. The submarine of Project 971 is not only technically ready for deployment, but has been well studied by experts from the Indian Navy.

India has to pay increased attention to its nuclear submarine fleet due to delays in its fleet modernization program. The Indian fleet of 13 diesel-electric submarines that were purchased back in the 1980’s from Germany and the Soviet Union is in a pitiable condition. In August 2013, one of the diesel-electric submarines of the Indian Navy, Sindhurakshak of Soviet design, exploded at the port of Mumbai during the conduction of repair works.

The tender announced by the Indian Navy for purchase of new diesel-electric submarines, in which manufacturers from Russia and France are likely to participate, is getting delayed. Experience shows that the holding of such tenders in India can go on for many years without leading to any positive results. Meanwhile, the navy is in dire need of rearmament.

It is obvious, that the growing activity of Chinese nuclear submarines that are increasingly active on patrol duties for lengthier periods of time and which have already appeared in the Indian Ocean also has a major impact on the Indian military planning.

Nuclear submarines of Project 971 that were produced in the USSR and Russia having various modifications between the years 1983 to 2003,by basic characteristics, have an edge, particularly in their covertness, reliability and weapons systems, over the Chinese boat of type 93. They are also more advanced than China's new nuclear submarines that may come up in the near future.

The presence of two boats will enable the Indian Navy to have a greater advantage of prying into high seas and take on long distance journeys, for example, to the South China Sea. At the same time, to create a complete formation of nuclear submarines that can seriously change the balance of forces in the region, Indians need to have at least 6-8 boats. This means that the boats of Project 971 will serve primarily as a base for further developments by the Indian Navy in the maintenance of such type of complicated and highly technological equipment.

India has already invested heavily in its own nuclear submarine development program. The cost of just the first boat Arihant, according to some US estimates, may reach $ 2.9 billion. But to obtain a real return on such kind of investments, India will have to put in additional efforts and may be compelled to ask for extra assistance from Russia.