Navy to get frigates from Russia

Construction will begin at a Russian shipyard by the end of the year and the first ship will join the Indian Navy by around 2002. The two other ships are to be subsequently inducted in one year intervals.

The names of the ships which have already been decided also mark a radical departure from the usual protocol of naming new warships after old decommissioned ships. The Krivaks are being named after the three 8220;politically sensitive8221; Indian states of Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, with the prefix Indian Naval Ship added.

The Krivaks form part of a Rs 3,000 croredefence deal with Russia, which also includes two kilo class submarines and three Kamov-31 Helix B early warning helicopters.

As with the Russian Su-30s which are to be modified to suit the Indian air force, the Krivaks are to be extensively modified in sync with the Indian Navy8217;s indigenisation drive.

For starters, the Krivaks will have an indigenously manufactured Oto Melara 76 mm gun and the naval version of the Advanced Light Helicopter ALH, the Trishul surface-to-air missile, sonars and sensors. The ships are to include a heavy weapon package similar to the new destroyer INS Delhi.

The Krivak deal have been termed by naval top brass as a 8220;one time buy of warships to compensate for the lost time on delayed orders8221; in other words, to make up for a decade of neglect when no new orders were placed with Indian shipyards.