India, Russia mulls over chopper swap deal
India and Russia are mulling a deal involving swapping of 80 Russian Mi-17 multirole transport helicopters for 20 indigenous Dhruv choppers produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, a report said on Tuesday.
By PTI |
MOSCOW: India and Russia are mulling a deal involving swapping of 80 Russian Mi-17 multirole transport helicopters for 20 indigenous Dhruv choppers produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, a report said on Tuesday.
The two countries "are currently negotiating the deal which would involve sale of 80 Mi-17 military-transport helicopters for $400-500 million to the Indian Air Force and purchase of 20 Dhruv helicopters for the Russian civilian customers," influential business daily 'Kommersant' reported.
Both the sides have in principle agreed to negotiate the deal after India insisted on return sale of Dhruv, the daily said quoting sources, who said that Russia is finding difficult to find an end user for the Indian helicopters at home.
State-run natural gas monopoly 'Gazprom' was identified as one the probable customer of Dhruv helicopters, however, at $6 million a piece. Indian chopper is quite expensive, the paper said.
During his recent visit to Russia, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi had told 'Arms Exports' magazine that IAF plans to order 80 Mi-17 helicopters from Russia for high-altitude operations in the Himalayas.
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The deal was to be concluded in 2005. However, India added the condition for the buy back of 20 Dhruv helicopters, a source in the Rosoboronexport, arms exporting cororation, was quoted as saying by the paper.Start a SIP with as low as ₹500 with ET Money App!
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