India commissions nuclear powered submarine 'INS Chakra'

Visakhapatnam, India, Apr 4 (PTI) India today inducted Russian-made nuclear powered submarine 'INS Chakra' into the Indian Navy, joining an elite group of five nations possessing such sophisticated warships. Defence Minister A K Antony formally commissioned the Akula II class Nerpa, rechristened INS Chakra, into the Indian Navy at the Ship Building Complex here on the southeast Indian coast along the Bay of Bengal. With the country entering the select club consisting of the US, Russia, the UK, France and China with nuclear submarines after a gap of two decades, Antony said, "INS Chakra will ensure security and sovereignty of the country." He did not subscribe to the view that the induction of nuclear powered submarines will lead to any arms race in the region. He said the armed forces will be strengthened to meet any challenge. "India does not believe in arms race. We are not a confrontationist nation. We are a peaceloving nation .... But, at the same time, the armed forces will be strengthened to meet any challenge," Antony told reporters when asked about Pakistan's reaction that INS Chakra's induction will lead to arms race in the region. "We have a vast land border. We have more than 7,500 kms of coastline and more than two million square kilometres of Exclusive Economic Zone. We have to protect the sea lanes of our core area of interest," he said. With INS Chakra and indigenously built INS Arihant expected to start operational patrols soon, India will soon have two nuclear submarines guarding its vast maritime boundary. With a maximum speed of 30 knots, the submarine can go upto a depth of 600 metres and has an endurance of 100 days with a crew of 73. The vessel is armed with four 533mm torpedo tubes and four 650mm torpedo tubes. India had leased and operated a Charlie class Russian nuclear submarine in 1988 for training its personnel on such submarines. Antony said, "INS Arihant will be ready for sea trials sometime this year." INS Chakra has been taken on lease from Russia for 10 years and would provide the Navy the opportunity to train personnel and operate such nuclear-powered vessels. India had signed a deal with Russia in 2004 worth over USD 900 million for leasing the submarine. It was expected to be inducted a couple of years back, but after an on-board accident in 2008, in which several Russian sailors died, the delivery schedule was changed. Indian Navy personnel have already been imparted training in Russia for operating the submarine. PTI