- New Delhi (IANS) -- India will soon acquire three missile-firing
warships and begin indigenously manufacturing French-designed Scorpene
submarines to bolster its presence in regional waters, the navy chief said
here Friday.
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- Three Russian-made Krivak-class frigates, incorporating
stealth technology that will make them harder to detect, are expected to
be inducted into the Indian Navy between September and mid-2003, Admiral
Madhvendra Singh said.
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- A long-term programme to build submarines based on the
Scorpene design in India too was "progressing well". Negotiations
for this programme are at an advanced stage, he said.
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- Although Singh did not say how many Scorpene submarines
India would build, reports have suggested the navy plans to construct at
least 12 of these vessels by 2030.
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- The navy has also issued a letter of intent to state-owned
Mazagon Dockyard in Mumbai for the construction of three more missile-firing
Delhi-class destroyers. The navy currently has three Delhi-class vessels,
the largest indigenously designed and built warships.
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- The induction of the first of the Krivak-class frigates,
named Talwar, had been delayed due to problems with its surface-to-air
missile system. The warship, originally to be commissioned in May, is now
expected to enter service with the navy this month.
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- Singh said the Talwar's Russian-made Shtil missile system
had not passed trials.
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- "This is quite normal if you wish to take state-of-the-art
systems. There are teething problems that are software related."
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- The navy chief said India could have opted for "proven
technology" for these warships but such a route would have led to
the acquisition of outdated systems.
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- "The second and third Krivak-class warships will
be inducted at intervals of six months," he said.
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- Speaking before leaving for the U.S. on Friday, Singh
said he would discuss matters of mutual interest and steps to enhance defence
cooperation during meetings with American military officials.
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- "I will talk about matters like the surveillance
of sea lanes of communication, terrorism, piracy, search and rescue operations
as well as regional problems in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal."
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- Singh's trip to the U.S. comes ahead of the largest naval
exercise by the two sides in almost six years.
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- Destroyers, submarines and maritime reconnaissance aircraft
will participate in the Malabar-4 wargame to be held in waters off India's
southwestern coast in September-October.
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- "This is a fairly big exercise," Singh said.
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- Referring to India's long-pending plan to acquire the
decommissioned Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, Singh said he had inspected
the warship during a visit to Russia last month and its hull was in "excellent"
shape.
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- "The machinery and equipment are being refitted.
We are still at the negotiation stage (with the Russians) but I can't tell
you if and when the deal will be signed."
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- There has been speculation that the Gorshkov's condition
had deteriorated significantly since it was retired from the Russian Navy.
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- At the same time, the Indian Navy is considering several
combat aircraft, including the French Rafale, for use by its air wing in
the future.
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- Singh said the navy planned to purchase at least 40 aircraft
for use with the Gorshkov, if it is acquired, as well as another aircraft
carrier to be built indigenously.
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