Moscow, June 26: Russia will deliver three stealth frigates worth USD 1.6 billion to the Indian Navy in line with the "contract deadline" of 2012, an official has said.
"The contract's deadline is 2012. We are not expecting
any delays at this point," General Director of the Kaliningrad
based 'Yantar' shipyard, Igor Orlov said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 4th International
Maritime Defence Show in St. Petersburg Orlov underscored,
"Russia will fulfil its obligations on schedule to supply
three Project 11356 frigates to India by 2012.
The first warship will be launched this year, the
second, probably, in spring 2010, and the third - a bit
later."
He added the Indian government had provided
'sufficient and timely' project financing, Ria Novosti
reported.
Situated in the Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad
the naval shipyard "Yantar" is building three Project 11356
Krivak IV class guided missile frigates for the Indian Navy.
Earlier, three stealth frigates of this class - INS
Talwar, INS Trishul and INS Tabar were built in St
Petersburg's Baltiisk Zavod shipyard and delivered two years
behind schedule.
Last October, deputy chief of the naval staff, Vice
Adm. Raman P Suthan, had inspected the construction at the
'Yantar' and was reported to be satisfied at the pace of their
construction.
The new frigates will be armed with eight Indo-Russian
BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missile systems in place
of the Club-N/3M54TE missile systems on the three previous
frigates of this class also known as "Talwar Class".
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, June 26, 2009, 19:53