Indian Inspectors Satisfied With Carrier Construction Progress

06.04.2012 Inspection group of Indian naval officers headed by chief of warships' production and procurement department Vice Admiral Nadel Nirajan Kumar in the past week checked the course of refurbishment works on aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya modernized under Project 11430 by Sevmash shipyard. Generally, Indian partners were satisfied with quality and pace of refitting works, reports the shipyard's press service.

President of JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation Roman Trotsenko, Deputy Director General of JSC Rosoboronexport Igor Sevastyanov, and Department Head of Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation Igor Ponomarev participated in all negotiations, meetings, and document signings along with managerial staff of Sevmash shipyard. Presence of such high-ranking officials indicates high importance attached by Russian government to timely and high-grade execution of this order.

Last time Admiral N.N. Kumar visited Severodvinsk with inspection in Sept 2011. This delegation was more presentable; it included four admirals, two high-ranking military officials, and Indian military attaché in Moscow.

As a result of inspection held by Indian officers, the parties signed a bilateral protocol and numerous appendixes outlining main preparatory activities for the carrier's sea trials to start on May 25. Despite some delay in general schedule, Indian partners expressed satisfaction with the ship's current condition and confidence that sea trials would start in due time. Sevmash shipwrights will face a difficult period soon, i.e. to conduct full-scale trials of the carrier and her air-technical means with test landings on the flight deck within the short polar summer. Delivery date of INS Vikramaditya remains unchanged – December 4, 2012.