View source for Soviet submarine K-43

{{short description|Soviet-made Charlie-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine}}
{{For|the later INS ''Chakra'' serving in the Indian Navy|Russian submarine K-152 Nerpa}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:Charlie I class SSGN.svg|275px|Project 670]]
[[File:DN-SC-89-03179 INS Chakra submarine.jpg|300px|INS Chakra leased to the Indian Navy]]
|Ship caption=INS ''Chakra'' on its way to India in the 1980s
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=Soviet Union
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Soviet Union|naval}}
|Ship name=''K-43''
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|Ship builder=[[Nizhniy Novgorod|Gorky]]
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|Ship laid down=9 May 1964
|Ship launched=2 August 1966
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|Ship commissioned=5 November 1967
|Ship recommissioned=February 1991
|Ship decommissioned=30 July 1992
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|Ship in service=1967–1988; 1991–1992
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|Ship fate=Sold for scrap
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=India
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|India|naval 1950}}
|Ship name=''Chakra''
|Ship namesake= [[Sudarshan Chakra]]
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|Ship commissioned=1 September 1987
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|Ship decommissioned=January 1991
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|Ship in service=1987–1990
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|Ship homeport=[[Vishakhapatnam]]
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|Ship fate=Returned to [[Soviet Union]] after 3 years
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass2|Charlie|submarine|0}} [[cruise missile submarine]]
|Ship displacement= *Surfaced: 4000 tons
*Submerged: 5000 tons
|Ship length={{convert|95|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|10|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draught= {{convert|8|m|abbr=on}}
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|Ship ice class=
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|Ship propulsion=One pressurized water-cooled reactor powering two steam turbines delivering {{convert|11,185|kW|shp|abbr=on}} to one shaft.
|Ship speed=*'''Surfaced:''' {{convert|20|kn}}
*'''Submerged:''' {{convert|24|kn}}
|Ship range=Unlimited except by food supplies
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|Ship complement=about 100
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|Ship armament=*8 x [[SS-N-7]] Starbright anti-ship cruise missiles
*6 x {{convert|21|in|mm|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s (12 torpedoes or 12 [[SS-N-15]] Starfish anti-submarine missiles)
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'''''K-43''''' was a {{sclass2|Charlie|submarine|0}} [[nuclear-powered submarine|nuclear-powered]] [[cruise missile submarine]] operated by the [[Soviet navy|Soviet]] and [[Indian navy|Indian navies]]. It was built between 1964 and 1967 and was commissioned into the [[Soviet navy]] on 5 November 1967.<ref name="Podvodnye Lodki 2002">Podvodnye Lodki, Yu.V. Apalkov, Sankt Peterburg, 2002, {{ISBN|5-8172-0069-4}}</ref> It later served as '''INS ''Chakra''''' in the [[Indian Navy]] from 1988 to 1991.

It was leased to India on 1 September 1987 and reached its base in [[Visakhapatnam]] on 3 February 1988 after a long journey. The Soviets said that the submarine was transferred for helping train the Indian Navy in operating nuclear submarines. During its service with India, it was partially manned by a Soviet crew,<ref name="Indian Defence Year Book">{{cite book|title=Indian Defence Year Book|year=2006|publisher=Natraj Publishers|isbn=9788186857106|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8EwqAQAAIAAJ&q=INS+Chakra+Charlie+class}}</ref> who reportedly did not allow Indians into the missile room and into the reactor compartment and this is believed to be a reason for the termination of the contract after 3 years.<ref name="David Miller 2002 393">{{cite book|author=David Miller|title=The Illustrated Directory of Submarines of the World|year=2002|publisher=Zenith Imprint|page=393|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XMCVXOwAagoC&dq=INS+Chakra+Charlie+class&pg=PA393|isbn=9780760313459}}</ref> The lease of ''Chakra'' reportedly helped India gain first-hand experience in handling a nuclear submarine that helped them build the {{sclass|Arihant|submarine|4}} of nuclear submarines.<ref name="Pradeep Barua 2005">{{cite book|last=Pradeep Barua|title=The State at War in South Asia|year=2005|publisher=U of Nebraska Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FIIQhuAOGaIC&dq=INS+Chakra+charlie+class&pg=PA281|isbn=0803213441}}</ref>

== Description ==
''K-43'' had a length of {{convert|94|m|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|overall]], a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|10|m|abbr=on}} and a [[Draft (ship)|draft]] of {{convert|8|m|abbr=on}}. It displaced {{convert|4000|t}} surfaced and {{convert|5000|t}} while submerged. The complement of the submarine was about 100.<ref name=FAS>{{cite web|title=Project 670 Skat / Charlie I|url=http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/theater/670.htm|publisher=Federation of American Scientists|accessdate=14 August 2013}}</ref>

The boat had one five-blade propeller powered by a VM-5 [[pressurised water reactor]]. It can achieve a maximum speed of {{convert|16|kn}} when surfaced and {{convert|23|kn}} when submerged. The K-43 could carry up to 8 [[SS-N-7|SS-N-7 Starbright]] nuclear capable anti-ship [[cruise missiles]]<!--and earlier?  see discussion-->. It had six {{convert|533|mm|in|abbr=on|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s which could carry 12 torpedoes or 12 [[SS-N-15|SS-N-15 Starfish]] anti-submarine missiles.<ref name=FAS/>

== History ==
In October 1986, the [[Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union|Soviet Politburo]] declared that they intend to transfer a Charlie-class submarine to India for training purposes. It was the first time a nuclear submarine was ever transferred to any other country.<ref name="end of cold war">{{cite book|author1=Artemy Kalinovsky|author2-link=Sergey Radchenko|author2=Sergey Radchenko|title=The End of the Cold War and the Third World: New Perspectives on Regional Conflict|year=2011|publisher=Taylor & Francis|page=68|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pSxRVaVL1iIC&dq=INS+Chakra+Charlie+class&pg=PA69|isbn=9781136724305}}</ref> It was decided so as to prove Soviet Union's commitment to strengthening India. But some politicians expressed serious negative consequences due to the transfer. However, the politburo headed by [[Gorbachev]] decided that the political benefits outweighs the concerns.<ref name="end of cold war"/>

The Soviets, during the lease to India, would regularly inspect the submarine and handle the [[nuclear fuel]]. The Soviet media stated that the submarine would not carry any nuclear weapons.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jiampietro |first=Joseph A. |jstor=23623927 |title=India Leases Soviet Nuclear Submarine |date=March 1988 |journal=Arms Control Today |publisher=Arms Control Association |volume=18 |issue=2 |page=27 }}</ref>

=== Transfer to India ===
A new naval base was constructed at [[Visakhapatnam]] with the help of the [[Soviet Union]] for handling the submarine.<ref name=AMP>{{cite book|last=Vijay Sakhuja|title=Asian Maritime Power in the 21st Century: Strategic Transactions : China, India and Southeast Asia|publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2011|page=290|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aoOk887bnvEC&dq=INS+Chakra+Charlie+class&pg=PA290|isbn=9789814311090|date=2011}}</ref> An Indian crew reached a training centre at Kirova for a two-year training course. The Indian Ambassador, Nurul Hasan, visited the Indian crew during this time.<ref name=warintheindianocean>{{cite book|last=Mihir K. Roy|title=War in the Indian Ocean|year=1995|publisher=Lancer Publishers|location=India|pages=120–124|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tqr8r7EB18wC&dq=INS+Chakra+Charlie+class&pg=PA121|isbn=9781897829110}}</ref>

== Operational history ==
The submarine was built between 1964 and 1967 and was commissioned into the [[Soviet navy]] on 5 November 1967. After returning to the Soviet Union after its lease to India, it continued to be in service with the Soviet Navy and was finally decommissioned on 30 July 1992 and sold for scrap.<ref name="Podvodnye Lodki 2002"/>

=== Service in the Indian Navy ===
{{other ships|INS Chakra}}

The submarine left for India on 5 January 1988 from [[Vladivostok]] and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on the same day. It passed through the [[South China Sea]] and [[Malacca Strait]] where it was escorted by an Indian [[frigate]], {{INS|Dunagiri|F36|6}}.<ref name=transitiontoeminence>{{cite book|last=G. M. Hiranandani|title=Transition to Eminence: The Indian Navy 1976–1990|year=2005|publisher=Lancer Publications|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1WxI9TlAxIQC&dq=INS+Chakra&pg=PA114-IA5|isbn=9788170622666}}</ref> It was constantly tracked by American and Australian [[P-3 Orion]] aircraft throughout the journey. It arrived at [[Visakhapatnam]] on 3 February 1988.<ref name="warintheindianocean"/> The submarine was welcomed by the Indian Prime Minister, [[Rajiv Gandhi]], the Defence Minister, [[K. C. Pant]], the [[Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy|Chief of Naval Staff]], G. J. Nadkami, and the commander of [[Eastern Naval Command]], Vice Admiral S. C. Chopra, who sailed in the submarine into the sea.<ref name="warintheindianocean"/><ref name="transitiontoeminence"/>

''Chakra'' took part in the Presidential Fleet Review of 15 February 1989 at [[Mumbai]] when it was watched by millions of Indians on television. Transfer of the submarine gained widespread coverage in the international media with ''[[Time Magazine]]'' calling India an "Awakening Power", while the [[Washington Post]] called it an "Oriental Bully".<ref name="warintheindianocean"/>

Contrary to popular perception, the ''Chakra'' was partially manned and control by the Soviet crew,<ref name="Indian Defence Year Book"/> who reportedly did not allow Indians into the missile room and into the reactor compartment despite repeated Indian requests and efforts, and this is believed to be a reason for the termination of the contract after 3 years by India.<ref name="David Miller 2002 393"/>

The ''Chakra'' served in both the eastern and [[Western Naval Command|western fronts]] during her service.<ref name="transitiontoeminence"/> As the lease agreement ended, ''Chakra'' departed to the Soviet Union from Visakhapatnam on 16 December 1990 and was escorted by {{INS|Savitri|P53|6}} throughout its journey. It was decommissioned in January 1991.<ref name="transitiontoeminence"/>

For the longer term, the lease of ''Chakra'' reportedly helped India gain first-hand experience in handling a nuclear submarine that helped them build the {{sclass|Arihant|submarine|4}} of nuclear submarines in 2010s.<ref name="Pradeep Barua 2005"/>

==See also==
*[[India-Soviet Union relations|India-Soviet Union Relations]] 
*[[Submarines of the Indian Navy]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last1=Polmar|first1=Norman|last2=Noot|first2=Jurrien|title=Submarines of the Russian and Soviet Navies, 1718–1990|year=1991 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=0-87021-570-1|name-list-style=amp}}
*{{cite book |last1=Vilches Alarcón |first1=Alejandro A. |title=From Juliettes to Yasens: Development and Operational History of Soviet Cruise-Missile Submarines |date=2022 |publisher=Helion & Co. |location=Warwick, UK |isbn=978-1-915070-68-5|series=Europe @ War (22)}}

{{Submarines of the Indian Navy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:K-43}}
[[Category:Submarines of the Soviet Navy]]
[[Category:Charlie-class submarines]]
[[Category:Ships built in the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:India–Soviet Union relations]]