New Delhi: Under attack from CAG for the
escalating cost of second-hand aircraft carrier Admiral
Gorshkov bought from Russia, Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta
on Thursday defended the price being paid by India for the warship.
"I can't comment on the CAG. But you all are defence
analysts, can you get me an aircraft carrier for less than USD
two billion? If you can, I am going to sign a cheque right
now," Mehta told reporters on the sidelines of the 'Naval Self
Reliance Seminar' organised by CII.
When asked about CAG's finding that the Navy had not done
its risk analysis before going in for the ship, he said, " I
can ensure you that there is no such thing. There is no
question, we have been looking at the ship since late 90's.
"From the time I know that we have been talking and
finally in 2004, when the deal was done after two-three years
of negotiations, it was done in extreme seriousness and there
is no question of any laxity."
Asked if the Navy was satisfied with the services and
support provided by Russian Original Equipment Manufacturers
(OEMs), Mehta said that they have to reach the OEMs through
agencies and the agency sometimes might not give the job to
best suited manufacturer or yard.
"So, we have a little issue with that. But we have lived
with it for many years and the ships have done quite well," he
said.
On increasing the range of K-15 missiles to be equipped
on the nuclear submarine INS Arihant, Mehta said," All this
will happen in a due course of time."
Commenting on a query about the under-performance of the
naval anti-ship missiles, Mehta said, "Sea eagle missile is an
ancient missile and we don't rely on it. With more indigenous
capability coming in, most of these are being brought into our
platforms. Whatever we have got in our inventory, they are
perfectly fine missiles and with 100 per cent insurance of
hits."
"By 2022, under our Maritime Capability Perspective Plan
(MCPP), Indian Navy hopes to become a versatile
three-dimensional force with over 160 ships including three
aircraft carrier and submarines, more than 300 aircraft and
satellite-based surveillance as well as net centric operations
to provide force multiplication," he said.
The Navy chief said that the Navy had also prepared a
'Science and Technology Roadmap-2025' for developing
indigenous technology for naval applications.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, July 30, 2009, 15:12