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India, Russia to intensify joint weapons development |
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India and Russia will intensify cooperation in the field of joint development of weapons, Defence Minister George Fernandes said after talks with top Russian leaders during his four-day official to Moscow, reports Arun Mohanty
Fernandes, who is on a four-day official visit to Russia, held a more than three-hour-long discussion with after talks with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov.
The two ministers held an hour-long one-to-one discussion, which was followed by delegation level talks in the Defence Ministry building on Novy Arbat.
While Fernandes said both countries are exploring avenues for joint development and designing of new weapons, Ivanov stressed that the “high-level trust between Russia and India enables us to jointly design and produce sophisticated weapons.
Ivanov cited the example of the successful joint designing of BrahMos anti-ship missile and SU-30MKI fighter. “Our countries trust each other so deeply that we can go in for joint research, development and production of weapons,” he emphasised.
Russia also promised to speed up delivery to India of 310 T-90S missile-firing tanks and complete supplies ahead of schedule following a request from Fernandes. Fernandes said, “India would be happy if the delivery of the T-90S tanks could be expedited.” In response, Ivanov said his country would do everything possible to speed up supplies of the main battle tank to India.
Russia delivered the first batch of 40 tanks in December 2001 shortly after a massive build-up of troops along the India-Pakistan border. The second batch of 40 tanks is ready for delivery ahead of schedule. Russian defence sources have said Indian army officers inspected the second batch of tanks, made at the Nizhni Tagil factory. The tanks will be sent to Novorossiisk port from where they will be shipped to India. They are expected to reach India in the last week of April. Under the terms of the $780 million deal, Russia is to deliver 124 tanks off-the-shelf while the remaining 186 are to be assembled in an Indian factory under a transfer of technology agreement.
Media reports have suggested that India made a request for 186 tanks to be delivered off-the-shelf and the rest in knocked-down and semi knocked-down condition to be assembled at the Avadi heavy vehicles factory in Tamil Nadu.
The reports said Russia did not commit itself to this change in the contract, but promised to speed up the deliveries. While discussing trans-border terrorism, both sides shared each other’s concern on Jammu and Kashmir and Chechnya in the backdrop of growing terrorist activities there.
Fernandes informed Ivanov about the “explosive situation” in Kashmir following terrorist threats received by candidates and voters willing to participate in Assembly elections scheduled later this year.
Both sides exchanged views on the situation in Central Asia and events in and around Afghanistan, issues on which two countries are very closely cooperating. “We have been maintaining close contacts at the level of Foreign Ministries, Defence Ministries and Security Councils of both countries on the issue,” said Ivanov. Fernandes also witnessed a test flight of the SU-30MKI at a Moscow suburb military airfield.
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