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Indian envoy calls for timely delivery of Gorshkov

MOSCOW: India’s outgoing envoy to Russia has called for a timely delivery of the Gorshkov aircraft carrier even as reports said the modernisation of the vessel was running long delays.

“Both sides have very big stakes in the timely completion of this project,” Ambassador Kanwal Sibal said, describing the Gorshkov deal as a “flagship and high-visibility project” of India-Russian defence cooperation.

Asked to comment on Russian media reports that the Gorshkov refit was behind schedule and faced huge cost overruns, the Indian envoy said the Russian side stood by the original delivery deadline of 2008.

“Officially the Russian Government vows to honour its commitment to complete the Gorshkov on schedule. If the situation were to change, we should be naturally notified.”

Russian media reported earlier this month that a director of the shipyard responsible for upgrading and re-equipping the Gorshkov had been fired for falling behind schedule.

Shipyard officials were also quoted as calling for an upward revision of the Gorshkov renovation price, citing higher volume of work and dramatic strengthening of the rouble against the U.S. dollar.

Mr. Sibal said India-Russian defence contracts worth $10 billion were “in various stages of implementation,” and new deals were under discussion to purchase 40 SU-30MKI fighter planes, 347 T-90S main battle tanks and 80 MI-17 helicopters.

Speaking at a news conference to mark the 60th anniversary of India’s Independence the Indian envoy hailed the trust-based time-tested relations.

“In the post-Second World War period, no two large countries with such distinctive political and economic personalities, and with such different backgrounds, have maintained such unbroken friendship,” he said.

Mr. Sibal, who is about two leave Russia having completed three years here, will be replaced by High Commissioner to Australia Prabhat Shukla.

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Indian envoy calls for timely delivery of Gorshkov

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