India Unlikely to Fine Russia for Delay in Warship Delivery

India is unlikely to bill Russia for the delay in the delivery of the refitted aircraft carrier Vikramaditya caused by engine problems last year, said Viktor Komardin, Deputy General Director of Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport.

The Vikramaditya, which is already years behind its original 2008 delivery date, was supposed to have been handed over on December 4, 2012, but sea trials in September revealed that the ship's boilers were not fully functional.

“In theory, India has the right to do so [to impose a fine]. But we believe that we will find a mutually beneficial solution to this problem in a friendly atmosphere. Actually, we already have, but for now, we’re saying that we will,” Komardin said at LIMA-2013 (Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition) in Malaysia.

The contract for aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (former Russian Project 11434 aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Gorshkov) was signed by Russia and India in 2004. Then the contract cost $1.5 bln. India received the carrier for free but paid that money only for the ship's repair and modernization, as well as air wing consisting of fighters MiG-29K/KUB and helicopters Ka-28/31. The parties revised contractual terms in 2009, and the contract cost increased up to $2.3 bln.

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