India Denies Having Let US Officials On Board Nuke Sub Leased From Russia

The INS Chakra, leased by the Indian Navy from Russia for a 10-year period, has been lying idle at the Vizag port for the last three months following damage that is currently being inspected by an Indo-Russian joint team of experts

New Delhi  — The Indian Navy has categorically denied having allowed a technical team from the US to visit the Chakra nuclear submarine — leased from Russia for 10 years. It comes at a time when New Delhi is hoping to soon finalize an agreement with Moscow for leasing a second Russian-made nuclear submarine for its naval fleet.

Admiral Sunil Lanba, chief of the Indian Navy, told a press conference Friday that there has never been an instance of any American seeing the Russian-made nuke submarine from close quarters as reported by some news outlets.

justify;">"No American has even seen the Chakra from close by," Admiral Lanba said.

Admiral Lanba said that the Chakra (Akula-2 class) nuclear submarine's sonar system has been damaged and two panels have been dislodged.

"The joint Indo-Russian team has been looking into it. Panels have been ordered and the submarine will get back into action soon," Admiral Lamba added.

In early 2012, Russia had transferred its K-152 "Nerpa" submarine under Project 971U to the Indian Navy for a 10-year lease with the option of a subsequent repurchase. In the Indian fleet, the "Nerpa" was rechristened "Chakra."

This is the second submarine in the Indian Navy with the same name. Earlier this name was used for a Soviet-era Project 670M submarine with K-43 cruise missiles. The Indian government is in an advanced stage of finalizing the lease agreement for a second nuclear-powered submarine with Russia.

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