CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -Indian defense sources speaking to The Print on the condition of anonymity said that the deal to lease a new sub, designated Chakra III, purportedly the Russian Navy’s K-322 Kashalot (Akula II-class) SSN, was inked on March 7 in the Indian capital of New Delhi.

Detailed explanation-2: -According to open-source information, India has rented yet another Akula-class vessel, dubbed INS Chakra III. New Delhi and the Kremlin in 2019 signed a $3 billion contract; the vessel will be handed over to the Indian Navy by 2025.

Detailed explanation-3: -Acquiring a second SSN will enable the navy to operate two independent carrier battle groups, centred around the INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, each with one SSN. (INS Vikrant is currently in sea trials and will join the Navy later next year.)

Detailed explanation-4: -Of this, K-152 Nerpa would be leased for 10 years to India at an estimated cost of US$670 million. The submarine was handed over to India on 30 December 2011. After being handed over to the Indian Navy, it was commissioned as INS Chakra.

Detailed explanation-5: -Paris would once never have considered the sale of nuclear submarine technology to India. But now, with the UK and the US closing ranks against China in the Western Pacific, there is a precedent for supplying nuclear submarines to India.