Russia not sour over India buying US defence products: Top official

BENGALURU: Rostec, a Russian state corporation set up to promote development, production and export of hi-tech industrial products for civil and defense sectors, has strongly backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ' Make in India' pitch.

A top corporation official noted that he does not feel sour over India's tilt to buy American products and his country does not restrict nations from having industrial deals with others unlike the Americans.

"I was very happy to have listened to Mr Modi's opening speech (at Aero India 2015). He said enough is enough - we need to Make in India.

"We need to give a new start - that's spin-off for civilian industry, for employment and for hi tech. I fully support his vision," Rostec Head (International Cooperation Department) Viktor K Kladov told PTI on the sidelines of the air show.

The Russian contingent for the five-day Aero India 2015, now on at Indian Air Force (IAF)'s air base at Yelahanka on the city outskirts, is led by Rostec State Corporation which comprises more than 30 corporate organizations.

Modi had said in his opening speech yesterday that his government's focus was to reduce imports and develop the domestic defence industry with a sense of mission, which it "is at the heart of our Make in India programme".

Kladov said that on a personal level, he "trusts" Modi for he does things that are "worth doing for the nation".

To a query on India's tilt towards buying a lot of defence products from the US, Kladov said, "We don't say you don't trade with US. We are not inclined to tell India what to do because we are friends and partners. We do not impose preconditions like Americans who address other nations not to buy from Russia."

Kladov also said Russia has a unique partnership with India and it does not sell defence products like other nations.

"We don't sell like other nations. We have very very special relationships ... Americans they never give the best. They have procedures. When it comes to India we don't have any borders," he said.