Russia Nerpa submarine. Photo: © Flickr.com
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In the end of 2011, Russia and India signed a deal on handing Russia’s Nerpa nuclear submarine to India on a 10-year lease. Now the submarine is on the way to India. Within the Indian Navy the submarine will be given a new name “Chakra.” The Indian crew of the submarine was trained in the Russian submarine training center. There is also a team of Russian sailors on board of the submarine who could assist the Indian crew if it is necessary.
The multipurpose nuclear submarine was built at a ship building facility in the Far Eastern Primorye region. In the early 2011, the submarine underwent all the required sea trials. Technically, the Nerpa submarine is equal to submarines of such class as the US’ “Los Angeles” submarine, Vice President of the Academy of Geopolitical Studies Konstantin Sivkov says:
"No other submarine in the world can be compared to Nerpa in terms of its technical characteristics. British versions are 2nd generation submarines. France’s Rubis class submarines were built in the early 1970s. Our submarines are 3rd generation submarines or 3 plus to be exact, just like American ones. What about lease prices - here we are beyond competition."
Russia and India raditionally had firm ties in defense industry. The influence of the USSR on the international arena had a significant influence on India and helped it to win independence in 1947. The first weapon system of independent India was made in the USSR. Today the Indian Navy has submarines, aircraft carriers, destroyers and missiles boats which were built at Russian shipping yards and Indian plants are producing tanks and armed vehicles under the Russian license, the Deputy Head of the Institute of political and military analysis Alexander Kramchin says:
"India ranks first in the world in terms of imports of weapons and Russia accounts for more than 70 % of these imports."
At the current arms exhibition in Delhi Russia has received orders for the production of military equipment and weapons for $11 billion. The question is - why do we lease but not sell the nuclear submarine to India? The matter is that the world knows no precedents when a country sold its strategic weapons, Vice President of the Academy of Geopolitical Studies Konstantin Sivkov explains:
"Russia sells aircraft up to the class of a bomber aircraft. As a rule, it does not sell strategic long-range bomber aircraft. For example, we leased out Tu 22M aircraft to India."
As early as 1988 the USSR leased its K-43 nuclear submarine to the Indian Navy. It was a second generation submarine. Indian Navy officers now recall that it was a good school for them. Many of the crew members of the submarine later occupied key posts in the commandment of the Indian Navy. The practical experience gained in the period of K-43 submarine’s lease enabled Indian engineers and designers to make significant progress in their own development of nuclear submarines. According to the Daily Times of India newspaper, in April sea trials of India’s Arihant nuclear submarine Arihant will be conducted and in the early 2013 it is expected to be added to the Indian armed forces. If it happens India will become the sixth state which has nuclear submarines in service.
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