MOSCOW: Russia will hand over the Akula-II class nuclear submarine&aposNerpa' to India after the completion of its sea trials, the country & aposs top general said, without specifying any time-frame for it.

"The trials are underway according to schedule, after which the submarine will be handed over to the Indian Navy," Chief of Russia&aposs General Staff, General Nikolai Makarov was quoted as saying by media

Addressing a news conference in Ulan Bator, Gen. Makarov, accompanying President Medvedev on Mongolia tour, however, did not specify the time-frame for the delivery of the much- awaited submarine.

" There is no fixed schedule (of delivery), but there are no reasons for delay,"he said.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had earlier ordered to hand over the&aposNerpa&aposto Indian Navy on 10-year lease by the end of this year.

Built by the Amur Shipyard in the far-eastern Khabarovsk region bordering China, &aposNerpa&aposwas hit by a deadly accident on November 8 last year in the Sea of Japan, when 21 sailors and civilian technical staff were killed due to abrupt release of lethal Freon gas from its fire-suppression system as a result of &aposhuman error&apos.LINK