MOSCOW, July 25. /ITAR-TASS/. India has asked Russia to upgrade two its submarines, director-general of the Rubin Central Maritime Design Bureau Igor Vilnit said on Friday.

“The Indian governments filed a request to the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation to extend the life of two Russian Kilo Class submarines (Type 877EKM),” he said.

Specialists of the Zvyozdochka ship repair centre and the Rubin design bureau are expected to leave for India to inspect the first submarine.

“We’re optimistic about military-technical cooperation with the new Indian government,” Vilnit said.

Russia and India develop military-technical cooperation since the mid 1960’s. In the mid 1990’s Russia and India signed an interstate agreement on military-technical cooperation. The ten submarines were supplied to India’s Navy from 1986 to 2000.