NEW DELHI – Russian authorities have demanded over $20 million forrectifying the damage suffered by nuclear submarine INS Chakra, which wasdry-docked last week, even as the government is seeking to fixresponsibility for the accident.
Defence sources said Russia had quoted $20 million (approximately ₹125crore) for fixing the submarine’s front portion, which was damaged when thesubmarine was entering the Visakhapatnam harbour. The details of theaccident emerged in public in early October last year.
Russian officials have said they would make all the replacement panels intheir own facility and would not use any Indian facility. The almost 5x5feet panels of the sonar dome would be brought to Visakhapatnam and fittedon to the lsubmarine.
Russian Ambassador Nikolai Kudashev said he was not aware when the nuclearsubmarine would sail again. “As far as I know, the submarine is underrepairs as of now but in the near future it is expected to be back inoperation. There is nothing irreversible that happened there. That is whatI am aware of.”.
It may be noted that indigenously built nuclear ballistic missilesubmarine INS Arihant, which suffered extensive damage because of humanerror over a year ago, is yet to be back to active sailing. After extensiveflushing and replacement of many of its pipes, it was floated recently butsailing it will take more time, the sources said.
As part of the firm stand taken by the government, it is believed to haveput on hold the proposal to appoint Inspector General of Nuclear SafetyVice Admiral Srikant as the new Commandant of the New Delhi-based NationalDefence College (NDC), until responsibility is fixed for the INS Chakraaccident.
Vice Admiral Srikant is the senior-most naval officer responsible fornuclear submarines. Lt. Gen. YVK Mohan moved out as NDC commandant early inJanuary to take over as the General Officer Commanding IX Corpsheadquartered at Yol in Himachal Pradesh.
Denying any specific knowledge of the Ministry’s move, Navy officialsadmitted that a series of appointments in the Navy are currently waiting tobe cleared by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Vice AdmiralSrikant’s is also among them.