Delay confirmed as Russia submits revised master schedule for delivery of INS Vikramaditya

Indian defence minister, AK Antony, has confirmed a growing suspicion that overall progress in the repair and refurbishment of aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya (ex-Admiral Gorshkov), currently underway at a Russian shipyard, is very slow and that the acquisition is of the carrier is going to be delayed. In a written reply to Member of Parliament, Uday Singh, Antony said that the Russian side had submitted a revised master schedule indicating a delay in the project.

According to Antony, the Russian side has attributed the delays to "Growth of Work."

In his reply, Antony has also mentioned other known facts, namely that an apex level committee, under the defence secretary, as well as a steering committee under a vice admiral have been set up to supervise the project.

He also mentioned that a team has been stationed at the shipyard where the repair and re-equipping work is going on, and that from time to time, teams of senior officers are sent to monitor progress. Relevant matters, he said, are also taken up between the two countries at the appropriate level.