The chemistry between the Indian and Russian defence ministers was notably cold yesterday. Antony stared ahead, jaws clenched, Serdyukov seemed embarrassed and Ambassador Kadakin (on Serdyukov's left) played the amiable joker
Visiting
Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov also says production of
fifth-generation fighter to start only in 2020
By Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 11th Oct 12
In a blow to
the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier programme, visiting Russian defence minister
Anatoly Serdyukov on Wednesday confirmed that the Indian Navy would receive the
aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya (formerly called the Gorshkov), only a year
from now.
Business Standard had
reported last month (September 18, 2012, ‘“Gorshkov curse” continues, aircraft
carrier fails trials’) that the 45,000 tonne aircraft carrier, which Russia was
to deliver to India in 2008, would now be delivered after October 2013, having
suffered a major engine failure during ongoing sea trials in the Barents Sea.
On Wednesday in New
Delhi, a visibly embarrassed Serdyukov admitted at a press conference, “We
believe the transfer of the ship from Russia to the authorities in India will
take place in the fourth quarter of 2013.”
His stony-faced
Indian counterpart, AK Antony, who sat next to Serdyukov without looking at
him, kept open the option of invoking a penalty clause in the contract which
allows India to penalise Russia for the delay, to the extent of five per cent
of the ship’s cost. Asked specifically about the penalty clause, Antony
responded, “These are issues we will discuss later… not now. Now, our main
concern is the early delivery (of the Vikramaditya).”
Adding to Antony’s
discomfiture, Serdyukov also stated that the fifth-generation fighter aircraft
(FGFA) India and Russia are co-developing, would only start production by 2020.
In that case, it would not enter service with the Indian Air Force (IAF) before
2022-23. Antony has earlier stated the FGFA would join the IAF by 2017.
Serdyukov is in New
Delhi for the 12th meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on
Military Technical Cooperation, a government-to-government structure that India
has only with Russia, its biggest arms market.
But the long-playing
story of INS Vikramaditya continues to batter Russia’s image as an arms
supplier to India. Besides the five-year delay (assuming the vessel is
delivered next year), Russia has raised the cost of the Vikramaditya by as much
as three-fold. In 2004, India signed an agreement to pay Russia $947 million to
refurbish the Gorshkov, which the Russian Navy was not accepting after a boiler
room explosion incapacitated the vessel. While the vessel itself has been given
“free of cost”, the cost of refurbishing it has risen steadily to $2.3 billion.
It remains unclear whether the new delay increases the cost further.
In giving India the
Gorshkov “for free”, Moscow also got New Delhi to buy 16 MiG-29K/KUB fighters
for $1 billion. In 2010, India paid another $1.2 billion for another 29
MiG-29K/KUB fighters.
But Serdyukov plays
down the delay, claiming the Vikramaditya is “of the highest sophistication.”
While admitting the engine failure was a setback, the Russian defence minister
insisted that Russia would be “transferring an operable, perfect quality ship.”
This, he said, would be ensured by extensive sea trials, in which over 11,000
nautical miles have already been covered in the White Sea and Baltic Sea.
Separately, in an
interview to The Times of India, Russia’s deputy premier, Dmitry Rogozin, said,
“Russia is the most consistent Indian partner and the Indian share in sensitive
Russian military exports amounts to 30 per cent. In our military cooperation,
we have never been driven by political ambitions or expediency. We have never
supplied weapons to India’s opponents. From 2001 to 2010, contracts worth more
than $30 billion were signed with over 20 inter-governmental agreements inked.”
Compounding the
delay in the delivery of the aircraft carrier, the navy faces delays in
inducting the INS Vikrant, the indigenous aircraft carrier being built by the
Cochin Shipyard.
Originally slated to
enter service in 2015, the indigenously built INS Vikrant will now be
commissioned only in 2017 because of problems with its engines and gears, and
an accident in which trucks that were transporting the ships generators from
Pune to Kochi overturned en route, damaging the equipment.
Never sold weapons to Indias enemies etc? What about the huge sales to China including the near complete redesign of their MIC?
ReplyDeleteAlso, what about the JF-17 engines?
Russians led by an arrogant Putin, are becoming more and more like the US in terms of thinking partners are client states and then using double speak..
so,by the time India will start inducting its glorious fifth generation aircraft,developed by our Great HAL,US will have completed more than 90 percent of its work on sixth generation aircraft.
ReplyDeleteUS has already begun to work on 6 generation aircraft,considering the fact that it takes around 20 to 25 years to develop these aircrafts,by the time India inducts first squadron of its glorious fifth generation aircraft,US will be testing its prototype of 6 generation aircraft,and perhaps a new stealth bomber aircraft to replace B-2 and B-52.
i see more glorious days for Indian defense sector.
would you be able to reveal... the idendity of the driver... of the truck which was carrying... the generators for... INS Vikrant...
ReplyDeleteWe have to wait for the GORKSHOV ,who else will give us a aircraft carrier,USA won't,Israel doesn't make them so it's only Russia,and they also give us the know how of the defense technology on the ARIHANTH NUCLEAR SUBMARINE,and the FGFA .so no other go until we become a self sustaining defense industry.
ReplyDeleteThe times seem to have changed. Now perhaps Russia is behind and doing copy and reverse engineering of the Chinese designs.
ReplyDeleteBad choices have been made over and over again. The two clear choices are: 1) Take risk and build at home; let the domestic ship builders learn from their mistakes and become world class ship builders that can deliver to the needs of Indian Navy; OR 2) spend money on foreign builders, gain nothing on timelines, gain no experience, and have limited opportunity for building to match the need.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling, this is not the last time this will happen. Whenever there is a deal too good to be true, you know which country will show-up at the negotiation table.
Just further exposes India as a strictly amateur player in the armed forces field. Carrier program in deep shit. FGFA delayed and Indian contribution is likely to be minimal and restricted to avionics only. Submarine numbers shrinking and no end to force level emasculation there. Artillery procurement strictly a joke. Tank scene bleak for Indian MIL complex (does such a beast exist?). Destroyers delayed, no sign of P17A signing, can go on and on.
ReplyDeleteThis confimation of what was already suspected is big, coming at such an early time. I wonder if even this 2023 can be done.
ReplyDeleteThat means LCA Mk2 makes all the more sense now. And if our establishment can be more ambitious then the AMCA perhaps could be speeded up. I personally doubt the second option though.
Very Well. The Navy Chiefs and their unprofessional staff need to be investigated. This is an open and shut case of corruption in the government, which inludes the Navy.
ReplyDeleteOne Navy Chief goes to New Zealand and now another Navy Chief goes to Canada.
Cant somebody see the smoke?
Sir, some recent updates on other defense blogs are saying that IAF has reduced projected FGFA numbers from 214 to 144. Do you have any info on this? Thanks.
ReplyDelete