Russian Submarine K-152 Nerpa - Lease To India

Lease To India

As of 2008, Russia had an agreement pending with India worth US$2 billion for the lease of Nerpa and another Project 971 Shchuka-B class submarine. Of this, K-152 Nerpa will be leased for 10 years to India at an estimated cost of US$670 million. The submarine was finally handed over to India on 30 Dec 2011. After being handed over to the Indian Navy, it would be commissioned as INS Chakra. Nerpa is the Russian word for the Baikal seal, and Chakra is a wheel or a disc.

Indian naval crews earlier trained to operate the submarine near St. Petersburg and another group of sailors was expected to arrive in Vladivostok in late 2008 for joining sea trials. The training of the crew was viewed as crucial to India's own nuclear submarine program, known as the Arihant class submarine.

After the 2008 accident, there were conflicting reports over the status of the lease. A Russian defence industry official denied that talks had been held with India on the delivery of the nuclear submarine. "Russia did not launch talks on a contract to supply India with the Nerpa nuclear-powered submarine." General of the Army Nikolai Marakov stated that Russia would commission the Nerpa and that it would join seven other Akula class submarines in Russia's Pacific Fleet. "The sum of $650-780 million, which Rosoboron export and the Amur Shipbuilding Plant had negotiated over a long period of time with the Indian Ministry of Defence, will now be found in Russia," he said.

However, in May 2009, both Russian and Indian defence officials confirmed that the Nerpa would be joining the Indian Navy by the end of 2009, after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the yard and announced an immediate release of 1.2 billion roubles, for the submarine construction.

On December 28, 2009, Nerpa was commissioned and joined the Russian Navy. The submarine underwent further adjustments in February 2010. As of August 2010, Russia was training a crew from the Indian Navy to sail the ship to India in fulfilment of the lease agreement. INS Chakra was expected to be commissioned into the Indian Navy before October 2011.

On July 1, 2011, Russian Navy chief Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky has been quoted as holding that "the Indian crew is now absolutely prepared for operating the submarine, which will be on a 10-year lease.

On January 23, 2012, home voyage under Indian control from the Russian port of Vladivostok to its Indian base Visakhapatnam, commenced. Official Russian announcement of the transfer was still pending at that time. The ship was identified as "INS Chakra II" of the "Akula II" class.

The similarly named Chakra was a Charlie I class submarine leased by India from Russia 1988-1992.

INS Chakra was officially inducted into the Indian Navy on April 4, 2012.