India Mulls Buying Russian Deep-Sea Rescue Vessel

India is mulling to buy Russian Project 21300C deep-sea rescue vessel to retrieve ships and submarines should they run into trouble at sea.

"India is indeed exploring the possibility of buying a ship of this class," Ria Novosti quoted an unnamed source close to the Indian Defense Ministry as saying Thursday.

Russia’s Project 21300C rescue ship, the Igor Belousov, called on the eastern Indian port Visakhapatnam on Wednesday to restock food, water and fuel. During its four-day stay, the Indian military will have an opportunity to inspect the vessel.

India relies on foreign assistance for deep-sea rescue operations. The Igor Belousov has recently assisted the Indian Air Force in searching for a missing jet in the Bay of Bengal, the news agency reported.