Moscow: Claiming that Russia is no longer dependent on Ukrainian engines to power its warships, the head of the Russian United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) on Monday said they are willing to invest in India as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Huh.
“I don’t know why India adopted the engine of Ukraine when we have now built our own capability and capability,” he said. We no longer depend on Ukraine for engines, ”said USC President Alexei Rakhmanov, speaking on the sidelines of Army 2022, the Russia Defense Exhibition being held in Moscow.
The top Russian official, who is in charge of the country’s shipbuilding industry, was referring to the gas turbine engines India bought from Ukraine to power four stealth frigates it is building with Russian help.
as informed of Earlier by ThePrint, India had purchased gas turbine engines from Ukraine and handed them over to Russia to be installed on the Admiral Grigorovich-class guided-missile stealth frigate, a Russian shipyard as part of a $2.5 billion deal. are being built for the Indian Navy. ,
While two ships are being built in Russia, two others are to be built at Goa Shipyard with the help of Russia.
India had ordered Ukrainian engines for the locomotives to be made in Goa, but it is learned that the delivery had not yet taken place. One of the targets of Russian missile attacks on Ukraine was the production facility of these gas turbine engines.
It is not yet known what will happen to the two warships to be built in Goa, the engines were not being delivered and the factory was affected.
‘Efforts to expedite delivery of frigates’
Speaking about the delivery schedule of the two warships, Rakhmanov said that the first would be delivered by November 2023 and the next within six months.
He said the original delivery schedule was affected by the COVID pandemic as well as the ongoing war with Ukraine.
“We are trying to fast-track deliveries and fill the gap,” Rakhmanov said.
As per the original delivery schedule, the first ship was to be handed over by the end of this year.
Talking about the plans ahead, the top Russian defense official said that USC is keen to invest in India and is looking for potential shipyards for the same. He also said that Russia wanted to invest in Pipavav Shipyard but it has gone into bankruptcy process.
“We want to be a part of the Make in India initiative,” he said.
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