Индийский взгляд на вещи:
India, Russia set to finalise $ 2 billion aircraft deal
NEW DELHI: India and Russia are now set to finalise the much-awaited aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and MiG-29K fighters deal, estimated to cost almost $2 billion.
Sources in the Defence Ministry here said the deal would be inked during the visit of Russian Defence Minister Igor Ivanov on November 27.
Indian and Russian officials are currently burning midnight oil here to give final touches to the deal before the arrival of the Russian defence minister.
The negotiations for the acquisition of 44.5 thousand tonnes Kiev class aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov by India have been going on between the two countries since 1994.
The talks were stalled for quite some time as India felt the price demanded by Russia for its retrofitting was too high.
The deal also figured during talks between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and President Vladimir Putin early this month in Moscow. Russians accentuated the process after Indians threatened that they may start looking for other options if the price row is not sorted out within a ''reasonable time''.
According to Defence Ministry sources, the two sides have now agreed to around $ 675 million to $682 million as the cost of overhaul for the carrier. "The final amount may vary by a few million here and there," sources said.
In that amount, almost 70 per cent new items from electronic components to navigation systems and weapons will be fitted on Admiral Gorshkov. The two sides are now trying to finalise the price of MiG-29K aircraft to be placed on the carrier. "Indian Navy would in the first order purchase 16 MiG-29Ks, including three trainer versions," sources said. These 16 fighters would come with Admiral Gorshkov in about 48 months from the time of signing the deal.
The navy has indicated its willingness to acquire MiG-29Ks also for the air defence ship, the indigenous carrier with 40,000-ton displacement being built at the southern port city of Kochi. It will be completed some 10 years from now.
Once the Gorshkov deal is inked, the two sides are expected to move faster on leasing of TU-22 long-range bombers and Akula class nuclear submarines. The Russians had tied down both the requests to the signing of the Gorshkov deal.
According to sources in the Indian Navy, the present projection of the navy for five nuclear submarines _ three in the western off Mumbai to tackle Pakistan and two in the east to meet Chinese challenges.
The deal in brief will include three components: The Russian aircraft carrier Gorshkov that will be renovated. The lease of two nuclear powered Akula 2 class submarines. NATO rates this as the quietest and the most sophisticated Russian submarine. A few Tupolev-22M3 strategic bombers, which can be fitted with nuclear tipped cruise missiles.
Delhi Bureau
http://www.centralchronicle.com/20031124/2411004.htm
India likely nod Gorshkov deal on minister's visit
Moscow, November 14:India and Russia are likely to sign a deal for purchase of aircraft carrier 'Admiral Gorshkov' armed with a complement of MIG-29 K warplanes from Russia during the three-day visit of its Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov to Delhi from November 26.
The acquisition of the 44,000-tonne aircraft carrier, along with MIG 29 aircraft and Kamov-31 helicopters, will bring the curtains down on the protracted negotiations between the two countries for the last four years.
The two countries are likely to sign a deal during Russian Defence Minister's visit, highly placed sources said.
The price of the deal could be 1.5 billion US dollars, Russia's Itar-Tass news agency said.
This would include expenditure to make the carrier combat effective besides creating an infrastructure for its service and maintenance in India. The hull of the ship is not included in the cost.
With the negotiations on the carrier in final stages, the warship is being prepared for repairs and modernisation which would entail increasing the length of the ski-runway and a catapult for faster take-off of aircraft from it, a spokesman of Sevmash Shipyard said.
There was, however, no word on reports of a possible broad package which would include leasing of two-long range TU-22M supersonic bombers and two 'Akula' class nuclear - powered submarines for the Indian navy.
Ivanov, who had called on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in Moscow on Thursday, said after the meeting that he was looking forward to holding talks with Defence Minister George Fernandes to reach "serious agreements".
"We hope forthcoming talks (with Fernandes) will produce serious agreements," he said after receiving an invitation to visit India during his meeting with Vajpayee.
"Military cooperation with India was developing dynamically and has very good prospects. Our fleet have carried out successful large-scale exercises this year", he said.
Ivanov, during his visit to Delhi would have a hectic agenda before him and his talks with Fernandes would include finalising of contract for Smerch 60 km long range multi-barrel rocket system and make sales pitch for new generation of infantry combat vehicles.
'Admiral Gorshkov' has been anchored at the shipyard in Severodvinsk since 1999 and checks of its machinery and structures have been completed, outdated equipment and weapons dismantled and fuel tanks unloaded and cleaned, the news agency reported.
"All wishes of the Indian side regarding the preparation of the ship for repairs and modernisation have been fulfilled," the spokesman of the shipyard specialising in construction of nuclear-powered submarines said.
'Admiral Gorshkov', which was previously called 'The Baku', was built in Nikolayerv, Ukraine. It joined the Russian northern fleet in 1987.
The warship is 273 metres long, 53 metres broad and 63 metres in height and after modernisation is likely to join Indian naval flotilla by 2006, the agency said.
on Ivanov's meeting with Vajpayee, a Russian Defence Ministry spokesman said that the two sides discussed military - technical ties, deepening of cooperation in the fight against international terrorism and holding of joint military exercises in 2004.
Observing that military - technical and economic cooperation were reaching the level that existed during the erstwhile Soviet days, the spokesman said "important agreements on deliveries to India of large consignments of Russian armoured vehicles and artillery weapons systems and on holding joint military exercises" were expected to be signed during Ivanov's visit to Delhi, according to Itar-Tass.
He further said, "All problems connected with the sale to the Indian navy of heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Aadmiral Gorshkov, which has been removed from the Russian navy, will be settled".
http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=26104
Gorshkov Deal To Be Inked On Nov 27
HUMA SIDDIQUI
NEW DELHI, NOV 21: The much-awaited aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and MiG-29K fighters deal, estimated to cost almost $2 billion, will be inked next week.
Intense last minute negotiations are going on between the Indian and Russian officials to give final touches before the arrival of the Russian defence minister Igor Ivanov in New Delhi on November 26.
According to defence ministry sources, the two sides have agreed to around $ 675 million to $682 million as the cost of overhaul for the carrier.
“The final amount may vary by a few million here and there,” sources said.
In that amount, almost 70 per cent new items from electronic components to navigation systems and weapons will be fitted on Admiral Gorshkov.
The two sides are now trying to finalise the price of MiG-29K aircraft to be placed on the carrier.
“Indian Navy would in the first order purchase 16 MiG-29Ks, including three trainer versions,” sources said.
These 16 fighters would come with Admiral Gorshkov in about 48 months from the time of signing the deal.
The navy has indicated its willingness to acquire MiG-29Ks also for the air defence ship, the indigenous carrier with 40,000-ton displacement being built at Kochi, when it is completed some 10 years from now. “But everything depends on the purchase and contractual terms,” said a source.
Once the Gorshkov deal is inked, the two sides are expected to move faster on leasing of TU-22 long-range bombers and Akula class nuclear submarines. The Russians had tied down both the requests to the signing of the Gorshkov deal.
According to sources in the Indian Navy, the present projection of the navy for five nuclear submarines — three in the western off Mumbai and two in the east.
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_st...ontent_id=46738