<p>India on Thursday signed a $ 3.3 billion deal with Russia to take an Akula-class nuclear-powered submarine on lease for 10 years. The submarine is expected to join the Indian Navy by 2025.</p>.<p>An inter-governmental agreement on the leasing of the submarine, to be named Chakra-III, was inked between the two countries at a closely guarded event here.</p>.<p>It will be the third Russian nuclear-powered submarine that India Navy would be operating. It would replace the Chakra-II that was transferred on lease to India in April 2012 for a period of 10 years.</p>.<p>In the late 1980s, Indian Navy operated its first nuclear submarine INS Chakra (or Chakra-I), which too was a Russian Nerpa class underwater boat that was leased to India for three years between 1988 and 1991.</p>.<p>The Chakra experience helped India immensely on its own nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant that are now actively in service.</p>.<p>Chakra-III would be one of the several incomplete Soviet-era Akula hulls that mothballed at the Zvezdochka shipyard in Severodvinsk.</p>.<p>The hull would undergo a deep refit and fitted with Indian sensors, operation room electronics, and communication equipment before being delivered to India.</p>.<p>Neither India nor Russia have spoken anything officially on the mega defence deal.</p>.<p>Earlier an Indian naval delegation inspected two Akula class submarines and recommended in favour of leasing both. The Cabinet Committee on Security, however, ruled in favour of taking only one.</p>.<p>The India-Russia agreement on nuclear submarine comes four days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi kick-started a project to manufacture one of the modern versions of the iconic Kalashnikov (AK-203) assault rifle at an ordnance factory at Korwa.</p>.<p>In the last few years, Russia secured several mega defence deals including S-400 air defence system, frigates for the Navy and K-226T helicopters that will be locally produced by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.</p>
<p>India on Thursday signed a $ 3.3 billion deal with Russia to take an Akula-class nuclear-powered submarine on lease for 10 years. The submarine is expected to join the Indian Navy by 2025.</p>.<p>An inter-governmental agreement on the leasing of the submarine, to be named Chakra-III, was inked between the two countries at a closely guarded event here.</p>.<p>It will be the third Russian nuclear-powered submarine that India Navy would be operating. It would replace the Chakra-II that was transferred on lease to India in April 2012 for a period of 10 years.</p>.<p>In the late 1980s, Indian Navy operated its first nuclear submarine INS Chakra (or Chakra-I), which too was a Russian Nerpa class underwater boat that was leased to India for three years between 1988 and 1991.</p>.<p>The Chakra experience helped India immensely on its own nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant that are now actively in service.</p>.<p>Chakra-III would be one of the several incomplete Soviet-era Akula hulls that mothballed at the Zvezdochka shipyard in Severodvinsk.</p>.<p>The hull would undergo a deep refit and fitted with Indian sensors, operation room electronics, and communication equipment before being delivered to India.</p>.<p>Neither India nor Russia have spoken anything officially on the mega defence deal.</p>.<p>Earlier an Indian naval delegation inspected two Akula class submarines and recommended in favour of leasing both. The Cabinet Committee on Security, however, ruled in favour of taking only one.</p>.<p>The India-Russia agreement on nuclear submarine comes four days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi kick-started a project to manufacture one of the modern versions of the iconic Kalashnikov (AK-203) assault rifle at an ordnance factory at Korwa.</p>.<p>In the last few years, Russia secured several mega defence deals including S-400 air defence system, frigates for the Navy and K-226T helicopters that will be locally produced by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.</p>
