NEW DELHI, Jan 14: There is no American pressure on Russia to cancel a deal with New Delhi by which Moscow would hand over two nuclear submarines to the Indian Navy, Indian envoy to Russia K. Raghunath was quoted on Tuesday as saying.
Speaking in Moscow before a visit there from Tuesday by Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes, Raghunath said: “In the past (in January 1988) we have already leased nuclear submarine INS Chakra for three years from Russia. There are no problems with the US. Our missiles programme is indigenous and India will continue it. It does not pose a direct threat to the US,” Raghinath was quoted by Press Trust of India as saying.
Commenting on India’s proposed acquisition of “Admiral Gorshkov” aircraft carrier, Raghunath said it would be the part of a bigger package deal for the Indian Navy, including the lease of strategic bombers and nuclear submarines.
The governments of two countries had agreed in 1995 on a ‘package, including acquisition of “Admiral Gorshkov” besides leasing of four Tu-22M3 (Nato codename Backfire-C) long range bombers for naval reconnaissance and two Akula class nuclear assault submarines, Raghunath said.
PTI said Raghunath, a former foreign secretary, was briefing Moscow-based Indian media on the eve of Fernandes’ arrival on a six-day Russia visit.
“At their New Delhi summit last month President Putin and Prime Minister Vajpayee reaffirmed their commitment to 1995 inter-governmental agreement and the Gorshkov deal would be signed, when ready, simultaneously with the leasing of Tu-22M3 reconnaissance planes and (nuclear) submarines,” Raghunath said replying to a question about delay in inking much-awaited “Gorshkov” deal.
“He discounted the possibility of US pressure on Russia, since Tu-22M3 strategic bombers and Akula class submarines are nuclear weapons platform,” PTI said.
During his Russia visit, just six weeks after the Indo-Russian summit in New Delhi in December, Fernandes is scheduled to hold wide-ranging discussions with the top Russian leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov and Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, PTI said.
President Pervez Musharraf is due to start a rare visit to Moscow next month.