India and Russia have signed an agreement for the Indian Navy to acquire a second Russian Akula-2 class nuclear-powered attack submarine, Russian journal Vedomosti has confirmed.


NDTV reports that the deal was not publicly announced in Goa, where it was signed alongside a host of big-ticket defence deals between India and Russia.


Vedomosti columnist Alexei Nikolski wrote: "According to a source in the Russian defence industry, the long discussed lease to transfer a multipurpose Project 971 nuclear submarine to India from the Russian Navy was signed in Goa.


"India already operates a Russian Akula 2 nuclear powered attack submarine under lease from Russia since 2011. With the 10-year lease of this submarine likely to end in a few years, New Delhi was looking to close a deal for a second submarine of this class.