India to get Russian nuclear-powered submarines

BIG DEAL: The submarines will be delivered to the Indian Navy in 2008 on a lease of at least seven years.

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Keywords: Nuclear Submarines, Russia

New Delhi: Call it the warmth beneath the Indo-Russian chill. In the thick of a reported estrangement, the two sides are set to seal an agreement for the lease of two Akula class nuclear submarines to India.

This agreement will be the high point of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Moscow on November 10 – a reminder of the heyday of the Indo-Russian relationship. The Akulas will be delivered to the Indian Navy in 2008 on a lease of at least seven years.

So, what do the Akula submarines mean to the Indian Navy? Most importantly, these would help the Navy prepare for the induction of the ATV, India's indigenous nuclear-powered vessel-in-the-making which goes for sea trials in 2009. Strategic submarines are the key to India's quest for a credible nuclear deterrence.

For Russia, raising the stakes, it hopes, will increase Indian dependence as Moscow seeks to defend its position as No. 1 defence supplier to New Delhi.

“Existing dependence of India on Russian equipments is so large that even if there was an inclination to reduce it’s dependence is not going to come about,” says Ex-Envoy to Russia, Kanwal Sibal.

Russia is now linking India's energy security with defence trade. Sources tell CNN-IBN that Russia is willing to offer stakes to Indian entities in oil and gas exploration in Stockman and Sakhalin in exchange for New Delhi's commitments on defence orders particularly big ones like the deal in 126 fighter jets.