Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 8

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) today slammed the Navy and the Ministry of Defence for the delay in carrying out the refit of diesel-electric submarine INS Sindhukirti — a Russian origin vessel.
The CAG said the Navy has not been able to operate one of its lethal platforms since June 2004. The CAG in its report submitted to Parliament today said that the ‘medium refit’ of the submarine was due for commencement in 2001 but was carried out from January 2006 by which the submarine witnessed extensive deterioration.
It noted that though it was scheduled to be completed by January 2009, due to the deficiency in manpower deployed by the Hindustan Shipyard Limited, lack of protection to main line cables, delayed supply of yard materials and modernisation of equipment, the submarine was delivered by the shipyard to the Navy in June this year with sea acceptance trials to follow.
“As a result, the Navy is unable to operate one of (its) lethal platforms since June 2004,” the report said.
It also noted that the cost of the refit was enhanced from Rs 629.50 crore (June 2005) to Rs 999.52 crore (August 2013) with additional liabilities of Rs 92.17 crore still being claimed (September 2015) by the yard.
“This apart, improper financial management led to the diversion of funds to the tune of Rs 92 crore,” the report said.
In its recommendations, CAG said planning and commencement of refits of submarines should be as per schedule to avoid excessive exploitation of submarines as well as extended refit schedule. “The Ministry should ensure that efforts are augmented to improve the scale of utilisation of indigenous materials in line with its own directives. The Navy should establish a dedicated Project Team, the expertise of which is available to each indigenous offloaded refit.”
The CAG also criticised the Coast Guard and the MoD for the delay in acquisition of inshore patrol vessels. It said that eight of the 13 IPVs decommissioned between December 2008 and July 2013 could be replaced after a delay of four to sixty months, while replacement of the remaining five had not been received.

INS Sindhukirti’s ‘medium refit’ was due for commencement in 2001 but was carried out from January 2006. By then the submarine witnessed extensive deterioration.
The sub was delivered by the shipyard in June this year with sea acceptance trials to follow
As a result, the Navy is unable to operate its lethal platform since June 2004, the report said