MOSCOW/NEW DELHI: Russia handed over a $2.3 billion aircraft carrier to India on Saturday after years of delays, extending the South Asian country’s maritime reach in the Indian Ocean as it looks to counter China’s assertive presence in the region.
The handover, at a shipyard near the Arctic Circle, underlined close defence ties between Russia, the world’s No. 2 arms exporter, and the world’s largest arms customer, India.
But while India remains Russia’s biggest buyer, it has started to look to new military suppliers and aims to build more hardware itself. It has recently rolled out new military purchase rules to lure local private companies into the sector.
The retooled Soviet-era ship was commissioned into the Indian Navy at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, on the White Sea, in a ceremony attended by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, and Indian Defence Minister AK Antony.
The ship, built in the final years of the Soviet Union and named the Admiral Gorshkov, will now be escorted by warships to India in a two-month voyage from Russia’s northern coast.
It has been renamed INS Vikramaditya.
A recent upgrade means that the carrier, originally designed to carry Yak-38 vertical take-off aircraft, has been requipped to carry Mig-29K fighter jets. It can carry up to 30 aircraft and will have a crew of around 2,000.
India signed a deal to buy the carrier in 2004 after a decade of negotiations. Its reconditioning was to be finished in 2009, but the price was increased and delivery postponed until 2012 under a new agreement, according to the Indian navy.
The handover was later delayed by another year.
India’s first, British-built, aircraft carrier was bought in the 1960s and was decommissioned in 1997. Another ex-British carrier, the INS Viraat, is in operation but is reaching the end of its service.
India is on a push to modernise its mostly Soviet-era military, and plans to spend $100 billion in the next 10 years doing that. It buys about 60 per cent of its arms needs from Russia, but has started a diversification drive recently.
China last year put its first-ever aircraft carrier, another retooled Soviet-made craft called the Liaoning, into service amid tensions with Japan over contested islands and a show of strength in the South China sea.
India launched its first domestically-built aircraft carrier this year, but it will not be fully operational until 2017.
Source: Reuters
“A two month voyage”….that should sum it all up.Few well placed hits from our Harpoons should do the trick of this obsolete rust bucket that rattys just bought from Russia it should end up at the bottom of Ocean just like the rat sub that sank in the dock!
Aah, the typical Paki. Always thinking of blowing things up.
Here’s a story for you. A man walks into an “adult” shop and asks for a blow up doll. The shopkeeper says – I’ve got 2. A normal one, and a Pakistani one. The man says – what’s the difference.
The Paki one blows itself up.
Q. Why are the women in Delhi ugly?
A. Because the attractive ones have been raped and killed.
Only the Paki idiots would think that India would spend billions for nothing, and it is as easy to sink as you describe …
Q. What is the largest Chinese export to India?
A. Low-cost rape kits.
its a shame that india spends so much, and still is not the strongest player in the region…. india spends billion and Pakistan find the counter of it in millions lol
That is why we are working on carrier killers!
Who the hell are you. you infact got that crazy shut up for ever. he is now looking for those chinese exports in his personal house!!!
People, why the hatred? .. Why the shrewd comments? .. Where has humanity gone? It is time to stop being childish ..
Make peace, not war!
China has already got Carrier killer missiles, I’m sure they will sell a few to Pak.
Don’t worry Pakis, Vikramaditya is not meant for you. It will be far away from Pakistn shore and is meant to secure Indian Ocean from outsiders.
Also, if your defence analyst think that an aircraft carrier is for harpoon target then may allah bless you. there is a saying, Haathi chale beech Bazaar, kutta bhonke ek hazaar. When a carrier like Majestic Vikramaditya sails past….. all other sea vessels of any kind in the vicinity of a thousand miles bow before her and watch in awe.