Commercial Negotiations Gather Speed for $4 Billion Indo-Russia Frigate Deal

India's Defense Ministry has cleared Krivak class frigate deal which was signed when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited India in October 2016.

NEW DELHI (Sputnik) — The Indian government has asked its shipyards to start working on the $4-billion Indo-Russia Krivak class project. Under this project, two state-of-the-art frigates will be constructed at an Indian shipyard, most likely to be the Goa Shipyard, and will be fitted with the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.

A Russian delegation comprising specialists from Yantar shipyard has expressed satisfaction at the Goa Shipyard on a March 3 visit. The team has been visiting Indian shipyards for the project and had been to Mazagon Dockyard, Cochin Shipyard, L&T shipyard and Reliance's Pipavav shipyard. But since the government-owned shipyards at Mazagon, GRSE and Cochin are engaged with various important projects of Indian Navy, the Goa Shipyard would get the frigate building deal. The Goa Shipyard had undergone modification for construction and integration of warships with stealth capabilities.

"Works to finalize the commercial note for the project will commence very soon. This is a very complex project which involves several vendors. Due to its complex structure, it may take time," defense sources told Sputnik.

The project is said to require final approval from the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security which comprises the Indian Prime Minister, the defense minister, the external affairs minister, the finance minister and the home minister.

Earlier, Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar had said that a consensus had been reached with Ukraine for power plants to be fitted in the Russian-made frigates. The basic structure of two frigates has already been completed in Russia, while the other two frigates will be constructed at Indian shipyards with associated technology transfer. "All Indian equipment will be fitted on the frigate. So, it is a stealth variety where we are involved in the design," Parrikar said last year.

Ongoing negotiation would be the follow-on warships of the Talwar class frigates (Modified Krivak III class) already operational in the Indian Navy since 2003. The Talwar class has a displacement of 4,000 tons and speed of 30 knots and is capable of accomplishing a wide variety of naval missions, primarily, finding and eliminating enemy submarines and large surface ships. Due to the use of stealth technologies and a special hull design, the resulting frigate features reduced radar cross section as well as electromagnetic, acoustic and infrared signatures.