India and Russia are poised to sign a protocol
on defence cooperation that will raise the existing buyer-seller
relationship to one that will see the two countries emerging as
co-producers of military hardware and sharers of technology.
The nations, who have struck up a $ 3.3 billion deal for the
production of 140 Sukhoi-30 MKIS in India, are close to signing
agreements on the creation of an Ilushin multi-role military cargo
jet and production of the fifth generation warplane, the S-37
Berkut. This fighter will ultimately replace the SU-30 MKI.
Meanwhile, Russia has assured the Indian delegation in Moscow that
there will be no further delay in the delivery of the 32 SU-30s. Of
the 50 India ordered, 18 have been received but the delivery of the
rest have been delayed by more than one and a half years. The next
batch is expected to be delivered by December.
The IAF will be the first air force to have the fighters with
super manoeuverability because of the thrust-vectoring engines.
The defence protocol, which will come at the end of the first
meeting of the upgraded inter-governmental commission on military-
technical cooperation, is to be signed within the framework of the
programme drawn up for defence relations up to the year 2010.
Defence and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, who held two
days of talks with Russian Vice Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov,
said the protocol will determine the strategy of relations between
the two countries.
Mr Klebanov, according to a Russian news agency, said contracts
will be drafted for the 'sale' of the aircraft carrier admiral
Gorshkov to India by September-October. The ship, presently berthed
in the black sea port of Severodvinsk, will be modernised and fitted
with 66 ship-based pilots at a cost of 700 million dollars, sources
said.
The Russian vice prime minister revealed that India has an
interest in purchasing submarines, warships and air defence systems.
According to media reports, India is interested in two
Project 0971 nuclear submarines which can carry cruise missiles or
conventional warheads with a hitting range of 3,000 kms.
The Indian defence delegation has also discussed the purchase of
Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS), construction of
stealth frigates and acquiring the smerch multi barrel rocket
systems.
The two countries have also decided to set up a joint pricing
committee to thrash out the irritants that have cropped up because
of the various prices quoted by russian companies. Also on the anvil
is a model contract document to speed up finalisation of defence
deals.
Mr Jaswant Singh also held talks with his Russian Defence
Minister Sergei Ivanov and foreign minister Igor Ivanov and called
on president Vladimir Putin. The preparations for Prime Minister
Atal Bihari Vajpayee's proposed summit meeting here in November also
came up during the talks.
Bureau Report
