Additional agreement on Gorshkov refit by mid-October

Moscow, Sep 3 (PTI) Russia and India will sign an
additional agreement in October over the much-delayed
upgradation and delivery of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov,
a senior Russian official said Thursday.

"The negotiations are still on and we hope to ink the
additional agreement by mid-October," Chief of the Russian
Technologies Corporation Sergei Chemezev told reporters in the
Kremlin as President Pratibha Patil began her high-level talks
with the Russian leadership.

Defence cooperation was one of the key issues of Patil's
parleys with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Thursday.

In addition to the original USD 616 million cost of
upgradation, the Severodvinsk-based Sevmash shipyard is
demanding additionally up to USD 2 billion for the refit of
the 45000 tonner Kiev class aircraft carrier to be inducted as
INS Vikramaditya.

Originally, Russian shipyard was to deliver it in August
2008, however, due to extra work and dispute over the refit
cost its delivery has been deferred till 2012.

In July visiting the Sevmash shipyard President Medvedev
had described the Gorshkov issues as the 'sole irritant' in
bilateral relations with India and ordered to complete
negotiations and deliver the ship within the agreed deadline.
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