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Russia urged to ensure timely delivery of 'Gorshkov'
NEW DELHI, JUN 15 (PTI)
India has urged Russia to ensure timely delivery of warship Admiral Gorshkov as its existing aircraft carrier INS Viraat was at its fag end.
Gorshkov, which is to be rechristened as INS Vikramaditya, is slated for delivery in August 2008.
The Defence Ministry was worried over reports that there could be a delay in the delivery of the 44,500 tonne Russian warship as the modernisation and refit of the aircraft carrier was not progressing as per schedule, sources said.
They Ministry has conveyed its concerns to its Russian counterpart so as to ensure that Gorshkov is made combat-ready before INS Viraat runs out of steam.
The Rs 6,900 crore Gorshkov deal, signed between the two countries in January 2004, includes 16 MiG-29K 'Fulcrum' fighters and Kamov Ka-31 and Ka-28 helicopters specifically designed for the aircraft carrier.
Defence Minister A K Antony would be visiting Moscow in October to attend the seventh meeting of the Indo-Russian Inter Governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation.
This meeting would be a precursor to the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Moscow in January next year.
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