Indian team to finalise long-term military-technical document with Russia
George Iype in New Delhi
A high-level Indian delegation led by Defence Secretary Ajit Kumar will finalise a long-term military-technical document between India and Russia till 2010 in Moscow next week.
The defence delegation, comprising senior Army, Navy and Air Force officers, is expected to give shape to the strategic Indo-Russia defence document in their
fifth round of talks with Russian counterparts on October 7 and 8.
Voice of Russia has already disclosed that notwithstanding pressure from the United States, Moscow would sign an agreement with New Delhi regarding the supply of 10 new
SU-10 fighter planes and high-tech missiles to India.
Defence ministry sources said on Wednesday that the most important responsibility of Indo-Russia defence officials will be the preparation of the document for military and
technical co-operation between the two countries.
"This document will cover military supplies, technical co-operation, exchange of specialists
and experts and it will be valid till 2010," a senior defence ministry official told Rediff On
The NeT.
Terming it a major breakthrough in the India-Russia military ties, he said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Russian President Boris Yeltsin will sign the document when the latter
visits India in December.
Russia has been India's key defence supplier for many years now. Both countries have been bound by a series of military agreements over the years.
But defence ministry officials believe the latest treaty will be mutually beneficial to both nations. "It will ensure that Russia would not link India's May nuclear tests with continuing defence co-operation. It will also help India launch new defence programmes with its trusted military friend for many years now," the official said.
Though Russia disapproved of the nuclear tests carried out by India and Pakistan in May, unlike the United States, it has been opposed to imposition of international economic and defence
sanctions on these countries.
Recent reports have suggested that India is planning to purchase sophisticated Russian missile batteries to counter Pakistan's Ghauri ballistic missiles. Russia has reportedly offered to supply S-300v/Antei-2500 batteries which military experts claim is
superior to the US equivalent, the Patriot.
Source said once the framework of the bilateral co-operation is finalised, the Indian defence delegation will get down to business on defence hardware and future purchases of
Russian defence equipment.
They include fitting of latest weapon platforms on the remaining Sukhoi-30 multi-role fighters and the delivery schedule of these aircraft besides the ongoing upgradations of
MiG-21 and MiG-29 fighters.
In the recent years, upgradation packages of MiG-23 and MiG- 27 have been worked out with the active collaboration of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation and Russia's MAPO-MiG.
The Indian delegation will also carry out a hard bargain for the possible purchase of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorskhov for the Indian Navy. Already three Khrivak class frigates and a
kilo-class submarine are being built at Russian shipyards for delivery to the Indian Navy.
The defence official said one of the main thrusts of the Indo-Russian military talks will be "on collaborative activity in defence production and research and development."
"We are keen to step up our defence research and development in collaboration with Moscow because a large percentage of equipment with the three wings of the Indian armed
forces is of Russian origin," the official added.
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