The K-152 Nerpa, renamed Chakra Ins II, will cost New Delhi about one billion dollars over the next 10 years. The submarine will not carry nuclear weapons but will carry cruise missiles. Meanwhile, New Delhi’s first nuclear submarine, the Arihant operative next year.

New Delhi (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Indian Navy now has a nuclear submarine, leased from Russia for the next 10 years. Defense Minister AK Anthony officially announced the news this morning at Vishakhapatnam on the east coast in the Bay of Bengal. With this new arrival - which will cost in New Delhi about a billion dollars - India joins the select group of countries with nuclear submarines, along with the United States, France, Russia, Britain and China.

The submarine K-152 Nerpa sailed from the Russian port of Vladivostok 40 days ago. India has renamed it the Chakra Ins II. In line with the international non-proliferation treaties, the submarine will not be equipped with nuclear weapons, but will carry cruise missiles.

Already at the end of 1980 New Delhi had "rented" a nuclear submarine from Moscow, using it to train Navy personnel. The Chakra Ins II instead will be operational. Initially, India was supposed to have obtained it in 2008, but an accident happened during some tests - which killed about 20 Russian sailors - delaying its delivery.

The Indian Navy has already trained a crew. To lead and manage the submarine requires a crew of 70 people, including about thirty officers. At the heart of the submarine is a nuclear reactor. With a top speed of 30 knots, it can submerge to 600 feet in depth, for at least 100 days without surfacing. The nuclear-capacity of missiles is over 700 km.

Moscow supplies 70% of the military arsenal to New Delhi. Meanwhile, India is building its own nuclear submarine, the Arihant, which should be operational by next year.

In India about 40% of the population lives below the poverty line on less than a dollar a day.

 

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