India and Russia are expected to sign an agreement for production of 200 Kamov 226T helicopters this week end to replace the country’s ageing Cheetah and Chetak helicopters. The “complex agreement” is worth nearly one billion dollars and the pact is likely to be signed on the sidelines of the 2016 BRICS Summit in Goa from October 13 to October 16.
Besides this agreement, the two countries will also explore the ways to speed up the inking of nearly six billion dollars worth contract for five S-400 ‘Triumf’ air defence missile system to shoot down enemy aircraft and missiles at long range. The Defence Acquisition Council(DAC), the apex body for procurement of weapon systems had given the go ahead for the deal in December last year. Incidentally, China has already placed an order for ten such systems with Russia, officials said here on Wednesday.
The two countries are also likely to take up the issue of a nuclear powered submarine as India is keen to take one such submarine on lease from Russia. The Indian Navy already has one Russian nuclear powered submarine INS Chakra. It was inducted into service four years on a ten year lease.
Officials said besides these key procurements in the pipeline, a variety of negotiations on the expansion of military-technical cooperation and fortification of trade relations with India will also be held.
“The complex agreement to set up a joint production facility of Ka-226T helicopters is expected to be signed at the BRICS forum,” said a statement by Rostec State Corporation, an umbrella organisation of about 700 Russian firms founded in 2007 to promote the development, production, and export of high-tech industrial products for civil and military purposes.
This agreement will be the next big step in cooperation between Russia and India in the area of helicopter production and service. The preliminary contract was signed by the head of Rostec Sergei Chemezov, CEO and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December last year. The Hindustan Aeronautics limited(HAl) is the frontrunner to partner with the Russians in this project.
In addition, the heads of the State corporations will conduct a series of negotiations on development in the area of Russian helicopter export and after-sales servicing. Chemezov will head Rostec’s delegation to the 2016 BRICS Summit. “The contract for export and joint production of 200 Ka-226T helicopters is one of the key projects in the framework of trade and industrial relations between Russia and India. We plan to expand them in both military-technical and civilian areas,” Chemezov said.
Rostec is currently in negotiations with the Defence Ministry here for a long-term contract for after-sales servicing of Russian-made helicopters, which are widely used in India. “We are expecting to set up an after-sales service in a profoundly new format. There is an array of other projects, where we see perspectives for mutually beneficial cooperation, which we plan to discuss at the BRICS Summit,” Chemezov said.