Russia to transfer K-152 Nerpa Submarine to India on Ten Year lease in March 201

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Russia will transfer the K-152 Nerpa attack submarine to India on a 10-year lease in March 2011, the governor of the Far East Khabarovsk region said on Friday. While K-152 Nerpa was undergoing sea trials in the Sea of Japan on 8 November 2008, an accident caused the deaths of some twenty sailors and injury to twenty-one others.

A fire suppression system discharged gas in the bow of the sub, suffocating civilian specialists and navy crew members. The boat is now fully operational following repairs.

"THE BOAT HAS BEEN HANDED OVER [TO THE FLEET] NOW. ACCORDING TO THE AGREEMENT, IT WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO INDIA IN MARCH OF THE NEXT YEAR," Vyacheslav Shport told journalists.

The $900-million lease contract was drawn up after Moscow and New Delhi sealed a deal in January 2004, in which India agreed to fund part of the Nerpa's construction. The Nerpa was originally scheduled to be introduced into the Indian Navy as INS Chakra by mid-2008.