India has signed a $950m contract with Russia for the procurement of two frigates fitted with BrahMos missiles for the Indian Navy.
The deal has been finalised following price negotiations after the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) granted approval this month for the acquisition of four frigates from Russia for $2bn.
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These Talwar-class/Project 11356 frigates will be armed with the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and directly transported to India from Russia, reported Sputnik News.
The two Indian Navy ships have been almost fully constructed at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.
Following construction, the vessels are expected to be shipped to India for outfitting them with new M7N.1E gas turbine engines at a local yard, reported The Economic Times.
Gas turbine engines being installed on the Talwar-class frigates have been procured from Ukraine under a separate deal between Russia and India.
Project 11356 frigates are due to be delivered from Russia by 2022.
According to media reports, the other two vessels under the $2bn deal will be constructed domestically with the signing of a separate agreement, expected to be finalised later this year.
In September, the CCS also granted approval for a $5.43bn deal to procure five Russian-built S-400 Triumf air defence systems for use by the Indian Air Force.
