New Delhi Sahkan Pajakan Kapal Selam Serangan Nuklear Rusia $2 Bilion Perjanjian 2019, Dijangka Tiba 2028

New Delhi Confirms $2bn Russian SSN Lease Part of 2019 Pact, Delivery Due 2028

New Delhi Confirms $2 Billion Russian Submarine Lease Commitment

Mohd Hanif Ismail - : Dec 5, 2025 - : 8:38 am

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The Government of India has issued an official clarification regarding reports of a fresh high-value defence procurement from Russia, confirming that the recently highlighted submarine lease is not a new deal but the continuation of a standing contract. The transaction, widely reported with an estimated value of 2 billion (US$2,000,000,000) for the lease of a Russian nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN), was formally signed back in 2019. This clarification was made public following a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to New Delhi, during which the deep-rooted defence and energy partnership between the two strategic allies was reaffirmed.

The SSN platform—understood to be a variant of the formidable Akula-class—will serve a critical, non-combat role: training Indian naval personnel and developing expertise in operating complex nuclear-powered vessels. This experience is indispensable as India expands its indigenous capabilities under the secretive Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) programme. While early reports suggested imminent delivery, official timelines now indicate that the vessel, which will succeed the INS Chakra II returned in 2021, is currently scheduled to join the Indian fleet on a ten-year lease by 2028.

Strategic Rationale and Geopolitical Clarification

Initial reporting, including articles based on a wire service report and published by outlets such as The Economic Times, suggested that India had "clinched" a new deal during the Presidential visit. However, a fact-check released by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) clarified that no new agreement was signed, stressing that the reported US$2 billion lease is a component of the 2019 commitment, often referred to as the Chakra III deal. This highlights the sensitivity surrounding the long-term, high-value defence relationship between New Delhi and Moscow, particularly given international scrutiny and sanctions levied on Russia.

For the Indian Navy, securing consistent access to operational SSNs remains a vital component of its long-term strategic deterrence planning. These vessels are essential for patrolling critical maritime zones, tracking adversary assets, and protecting India's fleet of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), such as the indigenously built Arihant-class. The reliance on leased Russian SSNs provides a proven, experienced capability platform, bridging the operational gap until India's own fleet of six planned nuclear-powered attack submarines can be delivered.

Enhancing Subsurface Deterrence in the Asia-Pacific

The commitment to the Akula-class lease, irrespective of the signing date, significantly bolsters India's naval posture and its ambition to act as a principal security provider across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The confirmation of the SSN’s expected delivery by 2028 comes amidst intensifying naval rivalry in the broader Asia-Pacific theatre.

The continued Indian focus on nuclear propulsion is a direct response to the continuous expansion of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which regularly deploys its own advanced submarine fleet into the IOR. India’s strategic moves are also viewed in the context of the emerging AUKUS security pact, through which Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States are collaborating to deploy a new generation of SSNs. As strategic competition in the maritime domain accelerates, New Delhi’s long-standing technical and operational dependence on Russia for this critical naval technology reinforces its self-reliance trajectory and ensures it remains a powerful and independent player in the subsea arms race defining the region.