India to receive Nerpa submarine next month

The Indian Navy will receive the nuclear-powered Nerpa submarine in mid-November 2011, a Russian defence industry source said.

RIA Novosti quoted the source as saying the submarine will be transferred after eliminating all defects before November.

The Russian nuclear submarine was to have been leased in 2008, but was put on hold following an accident during a 2008 sea trial in the Sea of Japan.

The $650m lease contract delivery was signed in 2004 and will make India the sixth country to operate nuclear submarines along with the US, UK, France, China and Russia.