India Two Years From Nuclear Missile Sub

India plans to lease a Russian nuclear-missile submarine within two years to begin training naval personnel for a future generation of domestically designed vessels, Indian naval chief Adm. Sureesh Mehta said yesterday (see GSN, June 7, 2004).

“In our credible minimum deterrent plans, placing of nuclear weapons undersea is the third triad,” he said.  “I am hopeful that in the times to come, more attention would be paid to it.”

India would first lease an Akula-class submarine from Moscow, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

“We want the Russian nuclear submarine to enable our boys to train on how to operate nuclear reactors and platforms and other systems,” Mehta said.

The nation is also pursuing an indigenous nuclear-powered submarine, called the Advanced Technology Vessel (see GSN, Oct. 16).

“The scientists have confirmed that they would have the project ready for trials by 2009,” Mehta said (Xinhua News Agency, Dec. 3).

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