Russia wants to make India a global hub for submarine upgrade, maintenance and repair

[HariPrasad]

Russia wants to make India a global hub for submarine upgrade, maintenance and repair
Published July 9, 2015 | By admin
SOURCE: ECONOMIC TIMES

Russia says that it wants to make India a global hub for the upgrade, maintenance and repair of conventional submarines and its leading shipyard is in final talks to select an Indian joint venture partner for a mega project to set up facilities here.

With contracts worth several thousand crores in the offing for the upgrade of Russian origin diesel electric submarines — several from the Indian Navy itself — the joint venture has the potential of making the selected Indian shipyard a serious player in the international market.

Officials from the state-run Zvyozdochka shipyard told ET that a memorandum of understanding could be signed within a month as it is in final talks with an Indian partner for the project. Russian engineers have already visited the Indian yard and advised it on changes to be made as well as investments needed to execute the project.

“We are in the process of negotiating with an Indian shipyard and if these negotiations are successful, it could become our partner for future tasks of modernising Kilo class submarines. Not just for India but for third nations as well,” Evgeny V Shustikov, Deputy Director General of Zvyozdochka told ET.

While the Russian side is reluctant to share details, it is learnt that several rounds of talks have taken place between Zvyozdochka and the Gujarat-based Pipavav Shipyard that has recently been bought over by Anil Ambani’s Reliance. A final round of talks are expected to take place in August.

Explaining the project, Shustikov says that the Russian side is looking at a joint venture model with partners in India who can execute work orders from the region. India alone is looking at the imminent second life extension of at least four Kilo class submarines. This would give the fleet almost 15 more years of service life. “Our estimate is that we will be loaded with work for at least 15-20 years,” Shustikov says.

Other nations that operate Kilos in the region include Iran with three submarines of the same class and Nigeria with six. In addition, Russia has recently sold six upgraded Kilo class submarines to Vietnam that will require overhauling and repairs in the coming years and is pursuing several other orders in the region.

“India could become a second center in the world for Kilo class upgrade. For certain nations it is easier to send the submarine for repair to India than to any other place. It is also a good chance for India to master the repair and upgrade of this class of vessel,” Andrey Baranov, deputy CEO Rubin design bureau that has designed the Kilo class, told ET.

 

[SpArK]

India could become a second center in the world for Kilo class upgrade. For certain nations it is easier to send the submarine for repair to India than to any other place. It is also a good chance for India to master the repair and upgrade of this class of vessel,

Sounds good.

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

Russia wants to make India a global hub for submarine upgrade, maintenance and repair
Published July 9, 2015 | By admin
SOURCE: ECONOMIC TIMES

Russia says that it wants to make India a global hub for the upgrade, maintenance and repair of conventional submarines and its leading shipyard is in final talks to select an Indian joint venture partner for a mega project to set up facilities here.

With contracts worth several thousand crores in the offing for the upgrade of Russian origin diesel electric submarines — several from the Indian Navy itself — the joint venture has the potential of making the selected Indian shipyard a serious player in the international market.

Officials from the state-run Zvyozdochka shipyard told ET that a memorandum of understanding could be signed within a month as it is in final talks with an Indian partner for the project. Russian engineers have already visited the Indian yard and advised it on changes to be made as well as investments needed to execute the project.

“We are in the process of negotiating with an Indian shipyard and if these negotiations are successful, it could become our partner for future tasks of modernising Kilo class submarines. Not just for India but for third nations as well,” Evgeny V Shustikov, Deputy Director General of Zvyozdochka told ET.

While the Russian side is reluctant to share details, it is learnt that several rounds of talks have taken place between Zvyozdochka and the Gujarat-based Pipavav Shipyard that has recently been bought over by Anil Ambani’s Reliance. A final round of talks are expected to take place in August.

Explaining the project, Shustikov says that the Russian side is looking at a joint venture model with partners in India who can execute work orders from the region. India alone is looking at the imminent second life extension of at least four Kilo class submarines. This would give the fleet almost 15 more years of service life. “Our estimate is that we will be loaded with work for at least 15-20 years,” Shustikov says.

Other nations that operate Kilos in the region include Iran with three submarines of the same class and Nigeria with six. In addition, Russia has recently sold six upgraded Kilo class submarines to Vietnam that will require overhauling and repairs in the coming years and is pursuing several other orders in the region.

“India could become a second center in the world for Kilo class upgrade. For certain nations it is easier to send the submarine for repair to India than to any other place. It is also a good chance for India to master the repair and upgrade of this class of vessel,” Andrey Baranov, deputy CEO Rubin design bureau that has designed the Kilo class, told ET.

Sounds good.

Enough of these false promises - Let's be clear of one thing - it's extremely delusional to think that any foreign country would do this - if that is the case then it's the interest of those (Russia in this case) which will be hit first - their shipyards are competitors - would never offer such a thing as evident -

The best example is INS Sindhukirti's refit which was struck at HSL for nine long years - that delay has little to do with inefficiency or incompetence. Instead, much of the blame rests with a loosely framed contract with Moscow that has allowed Russian “experts” to incrementally extend the work to be done on the Sindhukirti, in one case to 13 times what was required for overhauling an Indian submarine in Russia.

The Russians who have worked at HSL since 2006, overseeing Sindhukirti’s “modernisation-cum-refit” knew they were assisting a competitor. HSL’s success would disrupt the lucrative flow of Indian submarines to Zvezdochka shipyard in Russia, which had long overhauled them for hundreds of crore rupees each.

On comparing the work that Russian “experts” at HSL ordered on the Sindhukirti, with that done on two submarines earlier -- INS Sindhughosh, refitted in Russia; and INS Sindhudhvaj, refitted in the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam (see chart). In each work category, the Sindhukirti has required several times the work done on the Sindhughosh and Sindhudhvaj.

There are only two possible explanations: either INS Sindhukirti, which the navy operated exactly like its other Kilo-class submarines, inexplicably underwent exceptional wear and tear; or else Russian experts ordered needless work extensions, for their own reasons. Senior navy officials say the former is unlikely.

Russia delayed sub refit to weaken shipyard? | Business Standard News

 

[anant_s]

While the Russian side is reluctant to share details, it is learnt that several rounds of talks have taken place between Zvyozdochka and the Gujarat-based Pipavav Shipyard that has recently been bought over by Anil Ambani’s Reliance. A final round of talks are expected to take place in August.

When Reliance invested money in Pipvav, a lot of experts remarked, that Reliance Industries, obviously have sensed some big business opportunity.
Now if the news turns out to be true, it is going to a very lucrative proposition, not to mention a big relief for IN that has to send its DE subs for repair and upgrades to Russia.

 

[Echo_419]

Enough of these false promises - Let's be clear of one thing - it's extremely delusional to think that any foreign country would do this - if that is the case then it's the interest of those (Russia in this case) which will be hit first - their shipyards are competitors - would never offer such a thing as evident -

The best example is INS Sindhukirti's refit which was struck at HSL for nine long years - that delay has little to do with inefficiency or incompetence. Instead, much of the blame rests with a loosely framed contract with Moscow that has allowed Russian “experts” to incrementally extend the work to be done on the Sindhukirti, in one case to 13 times what was required for overhauling an Indian submarine in Russia.

The Russians who have worked at HSL since 2006, overseeing Sindhukirti’s “modernisation-cum-refit” knew they were assisting a competitor. HSL’s success would disrupt the lucrative flow of Indian submarines to Zvezdochka shipyard in Russia, which had long overhauled them for hundreds of crore rupees each.

On comparing the work that Russian “experts” at HSL ordered on the Sindhukirti, with that done on two submarines earlier -- INS Sindhughosh, refitted in Russia; and INS Sindhudhvaj, refitted in the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam (see chart). In each work category, the Sindhukirti has required several times the work done on the Sindhughosh and Sindhudhvaj.

There are only two possible explanations: either INS Sindhukirti, which the navy operated exactly like its other Kilo-class submarines, inexplicably underwent exceptional wear and tear; or else Russian experts ordered needless work extensions, for their own reasons. Senior navy officials say the former is unlikely.

Russia delayed sub refit to weaken shipyard? | Business Standard News

Exactly no one will help us if we refuse to help ourselves