India's N-submarine to be commissioned by Russians

In spite of the delay in acceptance trials due to stormy sea conditions, Russian Navy is going ahead to commission the Indian Navy's Akula-II class nuclear submarine Nerpa by the year end, a top official said today.

"The Nerpa, built by the Amur Shipyard will be delivered on time in December this year," Governor of Khabarovsk Territory Vyacheslav Shport announced today.

The submarine is due to be handed over to India by March next year on lease.

After its commissioning, the Russian Navy will train Indian Navy personnel on operationalising the submarine which would join the Indian Navy fleet after undergoing user trials.

Earlier, the Director General of Amur Shipyard, located in Komsomolsk-on-Amur city of the Khabarovsk Territory, had said the acceptance trials were postponed for about a week due to rough weather on Pacific Coast.

"December 2009 is the delivery deadline. There are no serious grounds for the delay in state acceptance trials, the normal process of preparations for them is underway. Didn't left (docks) on November 15, would set sails in coming days," Governor Shport was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

According to earlier reports after its formal commissioning by the Russian Navy the Nerpa would be rechristened INS Chakra and handed over to India in March next on 10-year lease under the $650 million deal.