From deals to pacts, expansive India-Russia defence agenda next month

Despite continuous pressure from the US against defence procurement from Moscow, India and Russia have been determinant to enhance defence cooperation in procurement and are incessantly exploring the possibility of “additional” production of Russian military equipment in India. From clinching deals on Kalashnikov assault rifles and very-short range air defence missile systems (VSHORADS) to a military logistics pact, upgraded combat exercises and more joint projects, Russia is India’s pre-eminent strategic partner and defence supplier. 70% of the hardware owned by the Indian Armed Forces, belongs to Russian/ Soviet origin.

Tribhuvan Darbari, MD & CEO Texmaco Defence Systems Pvt. Ltd. (Adventz Group) said that there is a huge scope for prospective and additional manufacturing of Russian military equipment in India within the concept ‘Make in India’. Tribhuvan Darbari further said that India and Russia have shared a mutually beneficial relationship based on trust and friendship honed over 70 years now and the ties between both the countries are strong enough to navigate through complexities and pressure.

Tribhuvan Darbari further added that we are sure that bilateral relations will emerge even stronger as a result of the forthcoming visit of Hon’ble President of Russian Federation Mr. Vladimir Putin for the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit with the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.

Ahead of the annual Modi-Putin summit here on December 6, coinciding with the inaugural two-plus-two dialogue between their foreign and defence ministers, hectic negotiations are currently underway to put finishing touches on a wide-ranging strategic-defence agenda.

While there is now deep India-US strategic congruence across the spectrum, with New Delhi also inking defence deals worth over $21 billion with Washington since 2007, Russia wants to assert its long-standing special strategic partnership with India. Russia, incidentally, has notched up military sales worth well over $65 billion to India since the early-1960s.

Russia is also apprehensive about India’s determined push for self-reliance in defence production. But it can take heart that the decks have finally been cleared for the long-pending Rs 5,124 crore project to manufacture over six lakh AK-203 Kalashnikov rifles at Korwa ordnance factory in Amethi district of UP, even as the $1.5 billion deal for India to acquire VSHORADS from Russia is also now in the “final stages”, said sources.

The shoulder-fired Russian anti-aircraft missile system IGLA-S, which was selected over French and Swedish systems in the fray, is designed for use against visible enemy targets like aircraft, helicopters and drones.

“The Army requires over 5,000 such missiles, launchers and associated equipment. The deal, when it happens, will include an initial off-the-shelf purchase followed by technology transfer to Bharat Dynamics for subsequent production,” said a source.

The long-pending project for 200 twin-engine Kamov-226T light helicopters to replace old single-engine Cheetah and Chetak choppers of Army (135) and IAF (65) for around $2 billion, however, remains stuck at the technical evaluation stage.

While the first 60 Ka-226T choppers are to come in a fly-away condition, Russia is yet to meet India’s requirement for 70% indigenous content in the remaining 140 to be manufactured in a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and Rostec Corp/Russian Helicopters.

India, however, is planning to next year ink the deals for 21 MiG-29s, along with the upgrade of the 59 such fighters already with the IAF, as well as 12 additional Sukhoi-30MKIs, with advanced electronic warfare capabilities, additional supplies and spares. The two deals together will cost over Rs 20,000 crore.

The two countries are also set to ink the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS), which will make Russia the seventh country with which India has such a reciprocal pact after the US, Australia, Japan, France, South Korea and Singapore. The bilateral talks next month will also include fast-tracking of deliveries for the five S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile squadrons under the $5.43 billion (Rs 40,000 crore) contract in October 2018.

With India now getting initial deliveries, the first S-400 squadron with two missile batteries, long-range acquisition and engagement radars and all-terrain transporter-erector vehicles will be operational in the north-western sector by early next year.

India also wants to induct the Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine called Chakra-III, under the $3 billion 10-year lease for it in March 2019, by 2025-2026