Shoigu: India and Russia Are Deepening Their Cooperation; More and More Weapons Systems Being Sold

The recent arms contracts with India were executed despite external Western pressure.

The recent arms contracts with India were executed despite external Western pressure. Moscow is ready to continue the military-technical cooperation with Delhi. That's what Sergei Shoigu said. The Minister of Defense is now taking part in the Intergovernmental Commission on Military and Technical Cooperation in India.

Dmitry Melnikov has the details.

 

The Russian T-90 is the main tank of the Indian army. The Su-30 and MiG-29 fighters have been long protecting the skies above India. The modern image of the Indian army was largely formed by the Soviet and then the Russian arms supplies. Shortly before the Russian Defense Minister arrived in Delhi, the Indian top officials expressed their hope that the relationship between the two countries in the area of military-industrial cooperation will reach a new level, from a buyer-seller relationship to joint military equipment production, which the Indians strongly desire. A representative delegation of Russian military-industrial complex executives came to India with Shoigu to discuss future defense projects.

Before starting formal negotiations, the Russians paid tribute to the memory of the Indian servicemen killed in the wars of the last two centuries. The India Gate, located astride the Rajpath, is one of the symbols of New Delhi. In one of the parts of the former palace of the Vice-King located next to it, Sergei Shoigu met with Nirmala Sitharaman. She is the first female Minister of Defense in the history of India.

The Russian-Indian Intergovernmental Commission on Military and Technical Cooperation has been conducting its meetings in Moscow and New Delhi alternately annually for 18 years. This meeting is being held following the meeting at the head-of-state level. In October, the heads of the two countries confirmed their mutual desire to strengthen cooperation not only in arms supplies and development but in other areas connected to defense as well. The ministers said that the relationship between Moscow and Delhi are special.

Sergei Shoigu, Minister of Defense of Russia: "The technical cooperation between our countries is an essential part of the privileged strategic partnership. The heads of India and Russia have repeatedly emphasized that. We're working in almost every area of military and technical cooperation. Despite the pressure applied by certain states, we've executed a substantial number of documents and important contracts to deliver S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft weapon systems and build Project 11356 frigates. Close liaison between our military departments is an essential part of our cooperation".

In practice, the most significant contract in recent years is India's purchase of Russian S-400 systems for over $5 billion. They'll begin delivering them in 2020. The Indian Navy will receive four Project 11356 frigates from Russia. The Indians would like to start licensed production of the Ka-226T helicopter within the framework of the Made in India national program.

As a result of the meeting, the Russian and the Indian ministers of defense signed an agreement to create a special working group which will work on direct cooperation between the militaries. It's not a coincidence that the two countries' armies are taking part in the joint Indra-2018 drills.

Dmitry Melnikov, Ivan Malyshev for Vesti from New Delhi, India.