The Indian Navy has refused to take delivery of two stealth technology endowed warships INS Talwar and INS Trishul from Russia due to recurring faults in the main surface-to-air Shitil missiles.

The delivery of the Krivak class missile frigates has already been delayed by almost a-year-and-a-half.

The first of the three stealth warships christened INS Talwar was to be delivered in the beginning of last year to be followed by the delivery of INS Trishul and INS Tabar at six-month intervals.

Two of the warships are ready while the third one INS Tabar is expected to be ready by July.

Naval Chief Admiral Madhavendra Singh was scheduled to visit Russia to induct two of the Krivak class missile frigates.

Earlier scheduled to leave for Moscow on June 4, Admiral Singh put off his visit by a week as the test-flights of the missiles failed in the presence of Indian Navy personnel.

The Russians had offered to rectify the faults after the ships are inducted into the Indian Navy, but Admiral Singh has repeatedly declared that India will not accept them unless all faults with the Shitil missiles are rectified.

Of the 12 test-flights of the missiles, only seven have been successful, the sources said. India would be the second country after Russia to field these four-ton displacement warships, which are considered one of the most powerful and lethal in the world today.

Besides the Shitil surface-to-air missiles, the warships are equipped with powerful ship-to-ship, ship-to-shore missiles and anti-submarine devices.