Deals to Make choppers, frigates, and buy air Defence system signed

BENAULIM, GOA: India, which still procures 70% of its defence equipment from Russia, on Saturday inked three major pacts — to acquire and make Kamov helicopters as well as four frigates, besides purchasing the S-400 air defence system from Moscow.

The signing of the Ka-226T helicopter joint venture marks a new stage of cooperation between Russia and India in the helicopter industry, which was first defined by an intergovernmental agreement in 2015. In addition, the JV, in which Hindustan Aeronautics will have a 50.5 per cent stake and its Russian counterpart Rostec 49.5 per cent, will become a pilot project for the Russian-Indian part of the Make in India programme.

“The joint venture for local production of Ka-226T is a substantial step in the development of cooperation between India and Russia. The fleet of Russianmade helicopters in India is over 400 units. But this is the first of such large-scale complex agreements for delivery and production of new helicopters in the amount of 200 units, which is fully in line with the Make in India initiative,” Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov told media.

“In addition, over the next five years there will be facilities set up for maintenance and servicing of the produced helicopters. The agreement presents not just production but a full-life cycle contract.”

The supply of helicopters will begin from 2017. India has a Rs 39,000-crore plan to acquire the S-400 system that will severely restrict Pakistan air force’s ability to operate even within its own airspace.

According to Chemezov, this is currently the most modern air defence system in the world. The contract is likely to be signed next year and supplies may begin from 2020.

While the two frigates for the Navy will be made in Russia and supplied to India, the remaining two will be made in India bolstering India’s military capabilities.

At the summit here the two sides underlined the need to expand training, joint exercises and institutionalised interactions between the armed forces of both countries. Delhi and Moscow also decided to hold Indo-Russian military industrial conference later in 2016 and create a bilateral Science & Technology Committee.