India, Russia sign deal for nuclear-powered attack submarine for Indian Navy

New Delhi: To boost capability at sea warfare, India on Thursday signed a mega defence deal worth over $3 billion for the lease of a nuclear-powered attack submarine from Russia to be named Chakra III.

The submarines is expected to with India by 2025 and will be in service with India for at least 10 years.

The deal has been signed at a time when there is heightened tension between India and Pakistan.

India has gone ahead and signed a deal with Russia despite the threat of US financial sanctions due to an earlier $5.4 billion contract signed last year for S-400 Triumf missile systems.

The deal for the submarine is said to include refurbishment of the nuclear boat lying mothballed at Severodvinsk, and training and technical infrastructure for its operations.

It is expected to replace INS Chakra, the Akula class submarine, that India had taken on a 10-year lease from Russia in April 2012.

The advantage of nuclear-powered submarines is that they can remain submerged for months at end and there is no need to surface like a conventional submarine which need to come out to recharge their batteries. India’s first indigenously built ballistic missile firing submarine INS Arihant, entered service in 2016. INS Arighat, was launched in 2017, and is expected to enter service soon.

According to sources, India is keen to extend the lease of Chakra II, which ends next year.