India, Russia discuss $4bn deal for 4 stealth frigates

[anant_s]

NEW DELHI: In what could turn into yet another mega defence deal with Russia+ , bilateral negotiations have gained momentum for India's acquisition of four more stealth frigates for around $4 billion.

Highlights

1. India may soon buy four upgraded Teg stealth frigates for around $4 billion from Russia
2. Two of the frigates will come from Russia, while the other two will be constructed in India
3. The frigates require gas-turbine engines from Ukraine, which India will directly acquire from them due to its strained bilateral ties with Russia

Even as the high-level India-Russia Military Technical Cooperation Working Group (MTC-WG) kicked off its two-day meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday, defence ministry sources said Moscow has submitted "a techno-commercial proposal" for the four multi-purpose frigates packed with sensors and weapons, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.

"Under the proposal, two of the frigates will come from Russia, while the other two will be constructed in India. The MoD has asked for some clarifications before taking a decision on the price and inter-governmental agreement," said a source.

The MTC-WG also discussed other pending mega defence projects like the joint development of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft and Kamov Ka-226T light utility helicopters as well as the Rs 39,000 crore purchase of five S-400 Triumf advanced air defence missile systems, as was reported by TOI on Wednesday.

Russia has apparently dovetailed the frigate project - which was first offered by Russian President Vladimir Putin to PM Narendra Modi over a year ago - with India's aim to lease a second nuclear-powered submarine for around $1.5 billion.

The first nuclear-powered Akula-II submarine INS Chakra - being operated by India since April 2012 after paying $900 million - had also been linked to the bigger $2.33 billion deal for aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.

If the deal for the four new 4,000-tonne frigates is indeed inked, they will add to the six Russian stealth frigates already inducted by India. First, three Talwar-class frigates were inducted from Russia in 2003-2004.

They were then followed in 2011-2013 by three Teg-class frigates under a $1.15 billion contract inked in 2006. India is quite satisfied with the Teg-class frigates, which have an operating range of 4,500 nautical miles and can handle threats in all three dimensions - air, surface and underwater.

But a major problem with the new upgraded Teg or Grigorivich-class frigates on offer is that the warships - lying half-constructed at the Yantar Shipyard in Russia due to a cash-crunch - will need Zorya gas-turbine engines from Ukraine.

"Ukraine has refused to supply power plants to Russia because of their continuing bilateral problems. But India can directly acquire the engines from Ukraine," said a source.

India, of course, has begun to construct its own stealth warships, having inducted three 6,100-tonne Shivalik-class frigates. Another Rs 50,000 crore contract for construction of the seven 'Project-17A' stealth frigates - four at Mazagon Docks at Mumbai and three in GRSE at Kolkata - was inked in February 2015.

The Navy currently has around 130 warships as well as 235 aircraft and helicopters. Moreover, the seven P-17A frigates are among the 39 warships and six Scorpene submarines under construction in Indian shipyards for over Rs 3 lakh crore.

But India is now eyeing the Russian frigates since it plans a 212-warship Navy by 2027 to ensure effective safeguarding of its huge geostrategic interests from Persian Gulf to Malacca Strait and beyond.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-4-stealth-frigates/articleshow/54159343.cms?

 

[Ankit Kumar 002]

3 Deals which should actually be concluded this time , by concluding I mean signing

1. Ka226T
2. Additional Flankers
3. Navy vessels ( Talwars, Kilos and Akulas ).

These are critical needs.

 

[GORKHALI]

BS news....

 

[VivasvatManu]

Russia built those frigates for 1 billion $ and are now offering it to India for 4 Billion $ ?

If anything, they should be selling it for less than 1 billion $ for the whole lot of them. I hope the IN does not get suckered into this deal.

 

[migflug]

4 bilion for half constructed frigates where shiwalik cost $600 million. There must be some other deals included in the pakage. For one billion each we should go for gorshkov class

 

[punit]

Russia built those frigates for 1 billion $ and are now offering it to India for 4 Billion $ ?

If anything, they should be selling it for less than 1 billion $ for the whole lot of them. I hope the IN does not get suckered into this deal.

u mean to say 4 Frigates in 1 billion ?

 

[Mustang06]

Well helicopters for Navy are more important for ASW/SAR purpose. Without these helicopters ships would be toothless.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Dafuq, 1 billion for each? We can build 12000 tonnes nuclear powered cruisers for that budget in India.

Well helicopters for Navy are more important for ASW/SAR purpose. Without these helicopters ships would be toothless.

Mistral class LHDs costs less than 600 million a piece. And those are dedicated helicopter carriers.

 

[VivasvatManu]

u mean to say 4 Frigates in 1 billion ?

The project was sanctioned for the Black sea fleet at a cost of around 350 million $ per frigate in 2009.

 

[Skull and Bones]

3 Deals which should actually be concluded this time , by concluding I mean signing

1. Ka226T
2. Additional Flankers
3. Navy vessels ( Talwars, Kilos and Akulas ).

These are critical needs.

Already 312 Flankers are in order, more Flankers doesn't really serve any purpose given their high maintenance cost and serviceability.

 

[sudhir007]

Price is too high why not built project 17 on private shipyard and add weapon in psu shipyard

 

[jha]

Something is not right. 4 Billion for 4 unfinished frigates ? Either money quoted is wrong or, we are getting some thing else with this.

 

[anant_s]

The total value is definitely not right.
I think the reporter has quoted the figure for a number of deals in discussion and then quoted the total value of these proposals as cost of Frigates.

 

[Ankit Kumar 002]

Already 312 Flankers are in order, more Flankers doesn't really serve any purpose given their high maintenance cost and serviceability.

Only 272 have been actually contracted. Last 2 squadrons of those ordered are currently under production.

More flankers does serve a purpose , because you may replace 2 Migs with 1 flanker capability wise , but you cannot do so availability wise.

16-18 Flanker squadrons are needed to give the airforce , access to more flying airframes when needed.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Only 272 have been actually contracted. Last 2 squadrons of those ordered are currently under production.

More flankers does serve a purpose , because you may replace 2 Migs with 1 flanker capability wise , but you cannot do so availability wise.

16-18 Flanker squadrons are needed to give the airforce , access to more flying airframes when needed.

No, you cannot. You have to consider operating cost along with it, an aircraft of the class of Tejas/Gripen will have flight per hour cost of 10,000 USD, while a Flanker will exceed 35,000 even under conservative estimates. You cannot afford to spend that much on peace time sorties, neither can a Flanker replace a Mig in terms of quick reaction interception roles.

IAF needs a balance between high performance and low cost multi role aircrafts, too many flankers will disrupt that balance. Either they need to speed up manufacturing of Tejas to 20-25 airframes a year, or acquire F-18SHs as a secondary choice after Rafale. Even F-18s per hour flight cost is almost half of MKIs.