Before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India, news of a big defense deal between the two countries has come to light. India and Russia have signed a $2 billion (approximately Rs. 16,700 crore) nuclear submarine deal. Talks have been going on for almost 10 years to finalize this deal. Both countries have agreed to the deal, and Indian officials will visit a Russian shipyard in November next year.
India may get nuclear submarine by 2027
It is expected that India will get this submarine in the next two years. Navy Chief Dinesh K. Tripathi said that India wants this nuclear submarine by 2027. This is the second nuclear submarine that India is acquiring from Russia. Earlier, in 2012, it had leased INS Chakra submarine from Russia for 10 years.
Why are Pakistan and China worried?
Nuclear-powered submarines offer many advantages over diesel-electric submarines. They are typically larger, can stay underwater for longer periods of time, and are quieter, making them more difficult to detect. This will be especially difficult while patrolling large areas of the Indian and Pacific Ocean, due to which China is nervous. According to NTI, India is currently operating 17 diesel-powered submarines.
India is building attack submarine
India is also preparing to build nuclear-powered attack submarines, which are designed to detect and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships. Until now, only a few countries—the US, Britain, France, China and Russia—had the technology to field and operate nuclear-powered submarines. South Korea is also working with America to build nuclear powered submarines.
According to the Navy Chief, India’s third nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine is expected to be commissioned next year. Apart from this, according to a Bloomberg report, India is also building two nuclear powered attack submarines.