The Hindu : Russian aircraft carrier deal may be signed next month

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 21, 2002

International

International

Russian aircraft carrier deal may be signed next month

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW NOV. 20. India and Russia may sign the long-awaited deal on the purchase of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier during the coming visit of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, early next month, informed sources said here.

The Russian Minister of Industry, Science and Technology, Mr. Klebanov, arrived in India on Wednesday to thrash out the sticky pricing issues during his talks with the Defence Minister, George Fernandes. Defence export sources said there was a ``good chance'' Mr. Klebanov's team would reach a ``compromise'' decision on the pricing of the Gorshkov refit package, now that all the technical parameters of the deal had been settled.

The total cost of the refit and re-armament of the Gorshkov is estimated between $1.5 and $2 billion, with the vessel itself to be handed over by Russia gratis. The speeding up of the license production of the SU-30MKI planes in India and the revised delivery schedule of three stealth frigates to India will also be discussed in Delhi by Mr. Klebanov, who is co-chairman of the Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission for Military-Technical Cooperation.

The Russian side is reportedly ready to discuss the Indian proposal for completing the licensed production of 140 SU-30MKI fighter planes by 2013

instead of 2017. ``Advancing the SU-30MKI production schedule will free aircraft facilities in Russia and India for a speedier joint development and production of a fifth-generation jet, as per preliminary agreement between the two countries,'' said Dr. Alexander Vaskin of the Indo-Russian Security Forum.

Mr. Klebanov will also discuss a new schedule for the delivery of three Russian-built frigates, which has been repeatedly delayed. The first frigate, Talwar, was to be commissioned in May, but is now planned to be handed over early next year.

``Delays in the execution of such top-of-the-line projects as the SU-30MKI planes and the Krivak-class frigates is the price India pays for acquiring futuristic weapon systems which no other country has yet,'' said Dr. Vaskin. ``The Krivak frigates feature an entirely new line-up of weapons, integration of which has taken longer than expected.''

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