India will soon sign a deal for the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier with Russia as Naval Chief Admiral Madhavendra Singh today informed mediapersons that the headquarters was through with price negotiations. ‘‘The aircraft carrier had been negotiated at less than Rs 3,000 crore and would be a major addition to the Naval fleet,’’ Singh said addressing a press conference at the Navy Day According to Singh, the aircraft carrier would be a ‘‘power projection carrier’’, unlike the past ones with the Navy which were ‘‘sea control carriers’’. Admiral Gorshkov can ‘‘take on a land-based air force’’, he said. The Navy will be acquiring a squadron of MiG-29K aircraft for the carrier, followed by another squadron, he added. He refused to comment on whether the package deal included two Russian Akula class nuclear submarines and nuclear capable Tupolev-22M long-range strategic maritime bombers on lease.Singh said the Defence Acquisition Council had approved the Navy’s 10-year plan to acquire 23 more warships, including an indigenous air-defence warship.
