New Delhi, Jan 20: After years of hard negotiations, India today signed its biggest ever 1.5 billion dollar (Rs 7,000 crore) defence deal with Russia for the acquisition of Soviet-era 45,000 tonnage aircraft carrier 'Admiral Gorshkov' with its complement of 28 MIG 29-K fighters.
The deal for the purchase of completely refurbished aircraft carrier was announced by Defence Minister George Fernandes and his Russian counterpart Sergei Ivanov at a joint press conference, where the two leaders denied that negotiations had also covered the leasing out of two Russian Akula-class nuclear submarines.
However, negotiations on the crucial leasing of four TU-22 M3 strategic bombers were inconclusive. In a significant move, both countries agreed to take their military-technical cooperation to a "higher technological level", indicating that the two sides were moving towards joint development and investment-sharing in key projects like fifth generation aircraft, on the lines of existing projects like the Brahmos cruise missile.
Ivanov said the Gorshkov deal incorporated life-time upgrades, technical assistance as well as setting up of infrastructure for the carrier in India. The Russian Minister also offered New Delhi more T-90 tanks in case India was interested.
The deal was signed by top defence officials of the two countries in the presence of the ministers. This is the second biggest defence deal India has signed with a foreign country after the recent Rs 8000-crore contract to acquire 66 British aerospace Hawk 115-Y advance jet trainers.
Bureau Report