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India to lease Russian nuclear submarine in late Dec or early Jan

The newspaper reported that the term for leasing of the Russian nuclear submarine makes ten years

NEW DELHI, December 16 (Itar-Tass) —— The Indian Navy will lease the Russian nuclear submarine K-152 Nerpa in late December or early January 2012, the Asian Age newspaper cited sources in the Indian Defence Ministry on Friday.

The newspaper reported that the term for leasing of the Russian nuclear submarine makes ten years. The leasing cost is estimated from 650 to 900 million dollars. This submarine will be called Chakra in the Indian Navy. This was the name for the first torpedo-carrying submarine in India, which leased it from the Soviet Union for three years.

The leasing of the Russian nuclear submarine Nerpa will bring strategic advantages to India, the Asian Age newspaper reported.

The Indian Navy does not have nuclear submarines. The first nuclear submarine was built at the Indian shipyard in Visakhapatnam. This strategic missile-carrying nuclear submarine Arihant was set afloat in 2009 and is being prepared for a sailing trial. India’s leasing of the nuclear submarine Nerpa will make it possible to train the crews for Indian submarines, local media noted.