Indian Officers Completed Training At Sevmash

03.11.2011 Sixteen Indian naval officers on Nov 2 obtained Russian Defense Ministry's certificates certifying their successful graduation from Naval Academy and completion of training course at Sevmash shipyard.

Those officers are crewmembers of aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya being repaired and retrofitted at Sevmash shipyard. According to the contract terms, Russia must train Indian crew of the carrier.

The training course started on March 15 and was completed with electricians. They are the last group of Vikramaditya's crew closing the first 152-men course.

The training was held in two stages: first, Indian servicemen learned theory in Naval Academy (St. Petersburg) and then had practice at Sevmash shipyard directly on the aircraft carrier they're going to serve on. Indian officers received Naval Academy's certificates from Valery Krukovich, deputy director of foreign servicemen training center in Naval Academy.

The head of observation group Mr. Svaminatan arrived to congratulate the officers. "It is a remarkable day for you", addressed Svaminatan to compatriots. "You are awarded diplomas, and when you return to India, you will share knowledge with subordinates. I'm sure you have studied well, and we thank Russia for that", he said. The crew of INS Vikramaditya will have full-fledged practice when the ship takes the sea in May 2012.

Presently, the second 112-men course of Indian servicemen passes training at Sevmash. First groups have already arrived in Severodvinsk from St. Petersburg. Third course will start next year. In total, over 1,000 Indian crewmen will be trained in Russia.