VISAKHAPATNAM, India (NNN-Bernama) -- India on Wednesday inducted the Russian-origin nuclear-powered submarine 'Nerpa' into the Navy, joining the elite League of Nations having such sophisticated warships, Press Trust of India reported.
India's Defence Minister A K Antony formally commissioned the Akula II class Nerpa, rechristened 'INS Chakra', into the Navy at the Ship Building Complex on the southeast Indian coast along the Bay of Bengal.
"INS Chakra will ensure security and sovereignty of the country," Antony said after commissioning the vessel.
India has earlier leased and operated a Charlie Class Russian nuclear submarine from 1988 for training its personnel on such warships.
With INS Chakra and the indigenous INS Arihant expected to start operational patrols soon, India will soon have two nuclear submarines guarding its vast maritime boundaries.
The Nerpa has been taken on lease from Russia for ten years and would provide the Navy the opportunity to train and operate such nuclear-powered vessels.
India had signed a deal with Russia in 2004 worth over US$900 million for leasing the submarine.
It was expected to be inducted a couple of years earlier, but after an accident in 2008 in which scores of Russian sailors died during trials, the delivery schedule was changed.
Indian Navy crews have already been given training for operating the submarine in Russia.
A crew of over 70 people, including around 30 officers, is required to operate the submarine. -- NNN-BERNAMA
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