India and Russia ink deal to build stealth warships in Goa
NEW DELHI: India and Russia on Tuesday signed a $500 million contract to build two stealth frigates in Goa that are expected to be delivered by 2027, two officials familiar with the development said on condition of anonymity.
Russia’s state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport and India’s Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) signed the contract in New Delhi to build the Grigorovichclass ‘Project 1135.6’ frigates with technology transfer from Russia, which is India’s top defence equipment supplier.
The deal comes just weeks after the two countries inked a nearly $1 billion deal to import two other such warships from Russia. Those ships are being built at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad and are expected to be delivered to the Indian Navy by 2022-23.
GSL is expected to deliver the first frigate in 2026 followed by the second a year later. India inked an Inter-governmental Agreement (IGA) with Russia for the four frigates in 2016. The navy 20.11.2018
n us an mess publishedpuse a report saying that two countries were set to sign a deal
currently operates six such stealth frigates — three Talwar class and three Teg class — bought from Russia and inducted between 2003 and 2013. GSL was adjudged the government’s “best performing shipyard” in 2015-16. The yard has delivered 28 ships ahead of schedule during the last four years.
Russia has been on a roll of late in India, winning several orders despite US sanctions against it.
On Monday, it emerged as the top contender for a $1.5 billion order to supply very short range air defence (VSHORAD) systems to the Indian army, edging out French and Swedish rivals in a close fight.
Russia’s state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport was the lowest bidder (L1) for the contract to supply around 800 launchers and 5,175 missiles to the army, officials said.
It will supply the IGLA-S system, with a range of up to six kms, to replace an almost four-decadeold IGLA-M system that is already in service.
The IGLA-S was competing with French firm MBDA’S Mistral portable launcher and Swedish company Saab’s RBS 70 air defence system.
In early October, India signed a ₹39,000-crore deal with Russia for the supply of S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems, brushing aside Washington’s concerns about the purchase.
India is in talks with the US to secure a waiver from the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), arguing that its military is heavily dependent on Russian equipment.
India is simultaneously exploring ways to bypass the US sanctions including an alternative payment route for Russian equipment.