New Delhi, June 12: The Indian Navy has refused to take delivery of the first two of its world class stealth technology warships INS-Talwar and INS-Trishul from Russia due to recurring faults in the test-flights of its main surface-to-air Shitil missiles. Naval Chief Admiral Madhvendra Singh was scheduled to visit Russia to induct these warships this week. The delivery of these Krivak class missile frigates has already been delayed by almost a-year-and-a-half.
The first of the three stealth warships christened INS-Talwar was to be delivered in the beginning of last year to be followed at six-month interval of the delivery of INS-Trishul and INS-Tabar. The naval chief was first scheduled to leave for Moscow on June 4 last and put off his visit by a week as the test-flights of the Shitil missiles failed in the presence of Indian Navy personnel.
Sources did not say when India would take the delivery of these Krivak class warships. The naval chief has repeatedly declared that India will not accept these warships unless all faults with the Shitil missiles are rectified. The sources said that of the 12 test-flights of the missiles, only seven have been successful. The Russians had offered to rectify these missiles after their induction in Indian Navy, which has been turned down by the authorities here.
India would be the second country after Russia to field these stealth class four-tonne displacement warships, which are one of the most powerful and lethal in the world today. Bureau Report