Russia-made warships set to join India Navy, despite sanctions
One ship is likely to be handed to the Indians in September, with another being delivered early next year. The delivery of the ships are two years behind schedule due to the war in Ukraine, the officials said, asking not to be named because of the sensitivity around the issue.
The two frigates are part of a four-ship deal that the Indians signed with the Russians back in 2018. The other two ships are being built in India, in collaboration with Russia, but are also behind schedule due to war-related supply chain issues, the officials said.
The guided-missile frigates with stealth features were to use gas turbines made in Ukraine. Ukraine-Russia trade ground to a halt in 2014 in the aftermath of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and India procured the turbines using a third country, senior officials said.
US sanctions on Russia for its war in Ukraine had stalled weapons delivery to India for over an year, as the countries struggled to find a payment mechanism that didn’t violate US sanctions.
India and Russia, also strategic partners, have been able to work around the payments issue, the people said, without disclosing details.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Navy and Ministry of Defence declined to comment.
New Delhi is paying Moscow in Indian rupees for weapons but uses a mix of currencies, such as UAE dirhams and US dollars, to pay for crude oil. India is the largest purchaser of Russia’s seaborne oil. The mechanism had briefly run into trouble as payments amounting to billions of dollars
