No US officials allowed on leased Russian submarine: Navy Chief

Indian Navy Chief Sunil Lanba on Friday confirmed that nuclear submarine INS Chakra, which is on lease from Russia, did suffer some damage in its sonar dome, but dismissed media reports of American officials visiting the vessel.

At the annual press conference ahead of the Navy Day, Admiral Lanba said that the submarine suffered a damage to its sonar dome, and a Board of Inquiry instituted to look in the reasons for the accident has given its report to the Eastern Naval Headquarters.

The Navy Chief also said that a joint team from India and Russia have examined the damage.

"The submarine is on a lease from Russia. She suffered a damage to her sonar dome where two panels have been dislodged.

"There was joint team of Indian Navy and the Russian side which examined the submarine," he said.

Dismissing the reports of US officials being around on the submarine, the Navy Chief said: "No American person has even seen the submarine from nearby."

He said the panels that got dislodged in the sonar dome have been ordered and hope it would be operational soon.

"We have already ordered the panel, we hope to have the submarine sooner than later."

INS Chakra has been leased from Russia for 10 years under a $900 million deal.

--IANS

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