Yes,the Yasen is too advanced for the IN right now and even advanced for many RuN submariners.Only their very best crews serve aboard their latest subs..
How many Yasens are operational? The first,Severodvinsk ,was commissioned into the RuN only 2 years ago in Dec 2013! Do you think that even the RuN have mastered the new sub and its tech? Why then are they building an advanced version for the rest?
I leave it to intelligent minds to consider whether the IN can truly operate such a sub (when we've barely operated one Akula-2 without some key features, from Apr 2012) without a considerable number of Russian submariners manning the key posts.
The desire to possess the best,latest,most expensive mil hardware is a recent trend in the Indian armed forces.The IAF hell-bent upon ultra-expensive Rafales which cost twice that of an MKI. The IN now wants a Yasen.I am sure that shortly the IA will also want the Armata to keep company with its sister services! Though I do advocate acquiring advanced Ru milware,as the Russians provide us what the West won't, we must be able to absorb the tech of the weapon system and operate it successfully to the fullest of its capabilities.
A month ago one had a long discussion on the same on the issue with 2 multi-starred gents. I've given their considered opinion and that of others. They are being very prudent,given their decades of experience with N-sub,subs,etc. The second,the Kazan is reportedly costing double of the first,between $2-3B and one can expect the cost of the others under construction to also cost a bomb.
In my view,the SSBN programme should come first,accompanied by our SSGN/SSNs behind,as it is our strat deterrent against China and Pak.Our SSBNs do not have ICBMs aboard, absolutely essential to be able to hide in far greater oceanspace than the IOR alone.
In fact,one would've welcomed us gaining Borei SSBN tech as a priority with Yasen sub/tech next!
Being prudent.
“The prudent man always studies seriously and earnestly to understand whatever he professes to understand, and not merely to persuade other people that he understands it; and though his talents may not always be very brilliant, they are always perfectly genuine. He neither endeavours to impose upon you by the cunning devices of an artful impostor, nor by the arrogant airs of an assuming pedant, nor by the confident assertions of a superficial and imprudent pretender,and he is averse to all the quackish arts by which other people so frequently thrust themselves into public notice and reputation.”
Adam Smith.
PS:What use is a "dumbed down" sub? At great cost too? it would leave the Rus laughing all the way to the bank,providing us with a new hull and N-reactor and not much more than an Ak-2! The Akula is 25+m shorter than the Yasen ,over 1000t less dpl. So you can imagine the extra cost factor. Devoid of its principal sensors,sonars,combat systems,decoys,weaponry,commn systems and some exotic quieting tech,what is its worth? Experiencing how to handle such a hull UW and perhaps some extra speed ?! The Chakra does not have the extra tubes at the bows for their very effective decoys on Ru Akulas.They've been sealed off. Seriously,I would prefer the IN to acquire the second improved Akula,offered at speed,which will give us an immediate capability and ease of crew rotations,followed on by a Yasen by 2020. Yasen tech on our indigenously built SSNs/SSGNs very welcome.
Anyway,have to buzz off for seasonal obligations.
Greetings to one and all for all the inpout,kudos and flak accepted in the same spirit! Trust all will be very "spiritual" in the coming days and that 2016 will be a landmark year for the IN,IA,IAF and the nation!