India's N-submarine to be commissioned by Russians by year end

Moscow, Nov 16 (PTI) Inspite of the delay in acceptance
trials due to stormy sea conditions, Russian Navy is going
ahead to commission the Indian Navy's Akula-II class nuclear
submarine Nerpa by the year end, a top official said Monday.

"The Nerpa, built by the Amur Shipyard will be
delivered on time in December this year," Governor of
Khabarovsk Territory Vyacheslav Shport announced.
The submarine is due to be handed over to India by
March next year on lease.
After its commissioning, the Russian Navy will train
Indian Navy personnel on operationalising the submarine which
would join the Indian Navy fleet after undergoing user trials.
Earlier, the Director General of Amur Shipyard,
located in Komsomolsk-on-Amur city of the Khabarovsk
Territory, had said the acceptance trials were postponed for
about a week due to rough weather on Pacific Coast.
"December 2009 is the delivery deadline. There are no
serious grounds for the delay in state acceptance trials, the
normal process of preparations for them is underway. Didn't
left (docks) on November 15, would set sails in coming days,"
Governor Shport was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.
According to earlier reports after its formal
commissioning by the Russian Navy the Nerpa would be
rechristened INS Chakra and handed over to India in March next
on 10-year lease under the USD 650 million deal. MORE PTI VS
RDM


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