Moscow: The BrahMos cruise missile is a
"shining" example of contemporary Indo-Russian defence
cooperation and captures several aspects of bilateral military
ties, Indian Ambassador to Russia Ajai Malhotra said on Saturday.
Congratulating the people involved in the joint
project on the 10th anniversary of the maiden launch of the
deadly supersonic missile, which is coinciding with `Russia
Day` national holiday being celebrated tomorrow, Ambassador
Malhotra said, "The BrahMos project is a shining example of
contemporary India-Russia defence cooperation.
"It captures several aspects of our defence
cooperation, which has moved from a buyer-seller relationship
into one involving joint research, development and production
of advanced and world-class systems."
He underscored that the project has combined Indian
and Russian technological capabilities with manufacturing
expertise available in public and private industries of the
two strategic partners.
He said it has help in the prosperity of tens of
cities and towns in both countries involved in the joint
project.
"It has benefited industries located in cities such as
Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad in India as well as those in
places such as Orenburg, Miass, Reutov, Perm and Safinova in
Russia," Malhotra said said in an interview to Voice of Russia
radio.
He noted that a conference on "Joint Ventures and
Technology Collaboration in Defence" will be held tomorrow in
New Delhi to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the BrahMos
launch.
Moreover, a Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Chair would be
established at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and
a Dr HA Yefremov Chair at the Moscow Aviation Institute,
Moscow in honour of the two outstanding scientists, who were
behind the inception of the project.
He said the Chairs will serve to build Centres of
Excellence for High Speed Aerodynamics at the two prestigious
institutes.
The BrahMos missile, which gets its name from the two
great rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva, is built by BrahMos
Aerospace which is a joint venture established in 1999 by
India`s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
and Russia`s NPO Mashinostroyenia.
Over the years the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile
has been further developed for launch from multiple air, ship,
submarine and land based platforms.
Ambassador Malhotra recalled that several other
India-Russia projects presently underway, such as the Fifth
Generation Fighter Aircraft project, the Multi-Role Transport
Aircraft project, and those for the manufacture of T-90 tanks
and SU-30MKI fighters in India, also go beyond a traditional
buyer-seller relationship.
"The pattern of cooperation we have developed has
brought benefits to vital sectors in India and Russia. India
has benefited from access to technology and materials that
have contributed to its security and development, while
Russian industries in these sectors have prospered from having
India as a reliable and preferred partner," he said.
PTI
