Gorshakov to be inducted by year-end: Naval chief

DEHRADUN, June 9 (Agencies): Russian aircraft carrier 'Admiral Gorshakov' will be inducted into the Indian Navy later this year, naval chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta said here today.

"We are inducting Gorshakov by the later part of the next year," the Chief of Naval Staff told reporters after reviewing the passing out parade at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) here.

'Gorshakov' has a sea endurance of 30 days and a capacity to carry more than 2,000 sailors.

India has bought the Russian carrier in 2004 after years of negotiations.

On enhancing maritime surveillance, Mehta said the Navy is finalising a proposal for the purchase of suitable equipments from abroad.

"Modernisation plans of the navy are on the right track.

We have moved far ahead in our modernisation plans," he said.

He said the Navy is will be adding 40 more new ships in the near future.

"For this purpose, orders have already been placed for building 33 new ships in Indian yards while six ships are being purchased from abroad," he said.

The Navy presently has 136 warships.

"The order-book of all the Indian yards is full," he said adding the budget allocation for the purchase of new ships has already been allocated.

Besides this, India would also be buying six submarines.

Nominations of five party candidates accepted MADURAI,June 9 (Agencies): Nominations of all five party candidates belonging to Congress, AIADMK, BJP, DMDK and Puthiya Tamizhagam for the Junee 26 byelection to the Tamil Nadu assembly from Madurai west constituency, were accepted after scruting today.

According to Returning Officer A.Narayanamoorthy, ten nominations including the ones filed by dummy candidates have been rejected.

He said 29 candidates including 24 independents are in the fray.

The last date for withdrawal is on Junee 11.

The seat fell vacant following the death of MLA S V Shanmugham.