Russia Prefers India over China to build non-nuclear icebreakers
At a time when Moscow was working to develop the Northern Sea Route and overcome difficulties caused by Western sanctions, Russia chose India over China to build non-nuclear icebreakers. This will strengthen Indo-Russian relations and make India an important player in Arctic affairs.
The Indian government is in talks with two shipbuilding companies, one state-owned and one private, to build four non-nuclear icebreakers worth more than $750 million.
The construction plan will support Russian nuclear power company Rosatom’s search for a shipyard in India.
Russian Minister Alexey Chekonkov said Russia will discuss India’s proposal for joint production of non-nuclear icebreakers in India in 2023.
The news came after Russia held talks with an Indian business delegation participating in the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
The two countries decided to strengthen cooperation in the Russian Arctic and develop the Northern Sea Route as an important transit hub.
Russia considers the Northern Sea Route an alternative route to reduce sailing time and costs. It offers faster transport between Northern Europe and East Asia than the Suez Canal route. By 2030, Russia plans to transport 150 million tons of crude oil, coal, liquefied natural gas, etc. in this way.
This includes the deployment of more than 50 icebreakers and ice-class ships and the construction of new ports, terminals, and emergency response vessels to sail on this route.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a two-day visit to Moscow in July 2024, and the two leaders discussed cooperation in all areas, including shipbuilding.
This will be achieved by establishing a joint working body within IRIGC-TEC.
Rosatom and Indian partners also discussed how to develop the potential of the Northern Sea Route, which stretches from Murmansk near Russia’s border with Norway to the Bering Strait near Alaska.
Rosatom wants to build four non-nuclear icebreakers in India, and the order has now been finalized. In addition to training Indian sailors in Arctic waters, an official said that the two countries plan to sign a memorandum of understanding to build and repair Russian ships at Indian shipyards.
To this end, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and India’s Enso Group have partnered to invest about $225 million in developing shipbuilding infrastructure.
Another reason Russia chose India is that European shipyards cannot meet the demand, while Chinese, South Korean, and Japanese shipyards are fully booked until 2028. Russia also regards India as a reliable partner and has always maintained friendly relations with it.
A Russian delegation and Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation officials arrived at the Indian shipyard to assess its infrastructure and capabilities. The only concern is the type of steel required to build and supply ship engines.
The project is an important milestone in Russian-Indian relations and will strengthen India’s position in shipbuilding. At the same time, Russia is also working with China to develop the Arctic Passage Initiative.
The Arctic Highway will be opened in July 2024, and Russia and China will collaborate to create the shortest sea route from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean via the Arctic.
China will benefit from the development and protection of Russia’s Northern Sea Route, which is part of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Russia is trying to maintain a balanced relationship with China and India in the Arctic as part of Moscow’s broader strategy to turn to friendly countries to manage Western sanctions related to the conflict in Ukraine.
