Non-Subscriber Extract
India pays extra $102m for carrier conversion
By Rahul Bedi
10 June 2009
India has paid Russia an additional USD102 million to refurbish the Kiev-class aircraft carrier Vikramaditya (ex- Admiral Gorshkov ), ahead of a deal to conclude the final cost of the ship's troubled refit.
The latest instalment brings the cost of the work at the Sevmashpredpriyatiye shipyard to USD602 million so far, a spokesman for the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) told Jane's .
Another MoD official said: " Gorshkov is by far the most problematic of the deals with Russia. But by 15 July we will work out the scope of the carrier's trial and its final cost after which a fresh contract will be signed.
"We are insisting and hopeful that the platform ... would be delivered to the Indian Navy (IN) by end-2012, over four years behind schedule."