Moscow, Nov 12: With India discussing with Russia purchase of aircraft carrier 'Admiral Gorshkov,' the 44,000-tonne warship is being prepared for repairs and modernisation, a spokesman of Sevmash shipyard said today. The ship has been anchored at the shipyard in Severodvinsk since 1999 and checks of its machinery and structures have been completed, outdated equipment and weapons dismantled and fuel tanks unloaded and cleaned, Russian Itar-Tass news agency reported.

All wishes of the Indian side regarding the preparation of the ship for repairs and modernisation have been fulfilled," the spokesman of the shipyard specialising in construction of nuclear-powered submarines said. A deal for the purchase of Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov by the Indian Navy is unlikely to be signed during the current visit of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Russia, a top Indian official said.

India and Russia are still discussing the specifics of the deal and it may take a little more time to finalise it, the official said on condition of anonymity. The Russian shipyard spokesman quoted by Itar-Tass said modernisation of the carrier included increasing the length of the deck runway and making it complete with a catapult for faster take-off of aircraft from it.

Bureau Report