India learned the hard way with INS Vikramaditya

[Soumitra]

Turning

into

Is no mean feat

If someone is unfamiliar with the history and is shown the two pics he will not be able to say it is the same ship

 

[Sliver]

The Russians had you and they stuck it to you for as much as they could.

As you said your only other options were helicopter/STOVL carriers as the US and France aren't going to sell you a catapult nuclear powered aircraft carrier.

Now the Russian's scratch their heads as to why you are buying a ton of stuff from the West. Corruption does them in.

it wasnt the Russian govt - it was the Russian sub builder that took them on a giant ride. And the fault squarely lies on the military planners (or whoever made the decision) who gave the work of building an Aircraft Carrier to a Sub building company. I mean, I wouldnt trust the local landscaping company if they dint have some priori experience.

It is a wonder that the carrier is functioning. I dont know if thats a happy mistake or a awesome grit that keeps it going.

 

[wiseone2]

For once the Bunya got out smarted by a bigger Bunya in Russian company (GM)

Russia lost an important market

 

[Dash]

it wasnt the Russian govt - it was the Russian sub builder that took them on a giant ride. And the fault squarely lies on the military planners (or whoever made the decision) who gave the work of building an Aircraft Carrier to a Sub building company. I mean, I wouldnt trust the local landscaping company if they dint have some priori experience.

It is a wonder that the carrier is functioning. I dont know if thats a happy mistake or a awesome grit that keeps it going.

Go and get a carrier in 2.3 billion. Then we will see.

 

[wiseone2]

Did you know that India has leased out (or maybe have bought out NERPA or INS CHAKRA) and also nuclear subs being made in INDIA with Russian help and there is no report of money transfer to Russia for it. This money was transferred during this period. So now you can rest in peace knowing what India was given in lieu of that amount.

Also agreed US makes best Aircraft Carriers but would they have given all these things? So remember Russia (although Putin is shrewd money wise) is all weather friend of India, US is an opportunist, so we have to play ball accordingly by getting best of both.

it was a botched deal. as someone put it there are not too many choices for purchasing an aircraft carrier

 

[akshay gehlot]

As the Navy chief at the time told a journalist "If you can get me an aircraft carrier in 2.5B I'll sign you a check right now"

Yes Vikramaditya ended up costing more but I still think 2.3B is a very good price for that sort of carrier if we would have waited for our own iac then now we would probably be without a carrier for the first time in 50 years. Plus Mig-29k is a vast vast upgrade on the harrier jump jets we used to have.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

it wasnt the Russian govt - it was the Russian sub builder that took them on a giant ride. And the fault squarely lies on the military planners (or whoever made the decision) who gave the work of building an Aircraft Carrier to a Sub building company. I mean, I wouldnt trust the local landscaping company if they dint have some priori experience.

It is a wonder that the carrier is functioning. I dont know if thats a happy mistake or a awesome grit that keeps it going.

Isn't the real problem that Ukraine got its independence and thus Russia basically lost an important shipbuilding center. So they had no choice but to overhaul it up in a sub building facility. This had nothing to do with bad planning.

Ukraine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sea_Shipyard

Arkhangelsk Oblast
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severodvinsk