Russia Loses India as Second Largest Defense Customer

youngindian

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27.07.2009

From now on India will be buying American weapons. The USA and India came to such an agreement during Hillary Clinton’s visit to Delhi on July 20. India has been using Russian and Soviet weapons for 50 years.

The relations between Russia and India, including those in the field of military and technical cooperation, have been worsening recently. India turned its attention to other partners and entered into transactions with Israel, France and other manufacturers of military hardware.

Now the USA, Russia’s major competitor in this sphere, completed this list.

Russian military analysts say that the principal reason for India’s decision to develop defense cooperation with the USA lies in Russia’s numerous violations in execution of contract terms with India. India was outraged when Russia delayed the modernization of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, as Russia did previously with the delivery of warships and submarines.

A new scandal arose several days before Clinton’s visit to Delhi. It proved that Russia had sold India defective air-to-air rockets.

Up to 50 percent of the rockets were reportedly defective. Therefore, the question of whether India continues to buy weapons from Russia remains open after the nation signed the defense cooperation agreement with the United States.

India will continue buying Russian tanks. However, it is going to co-operate with other suppliers in the sphere of operational aircraft and navy. Thus, Russia will lose its key position on the Indian arms market. For the time being, India is Russia’s second biggest customer.

The Russian defense complex is now unable to provide the production that would fully satisfy foreign customers, due to the loss of qualified personnel.

Another negative moment is that Russia has been purchasing navigation facilities, optical devices and avionics abroad for several years. The Russian military production is virtually ruined and military engineers have invented nothing new.

No wonder, that Russia has given way to its foreign competitors. China might be the next partner to refuse from Russian weapons.

Delhi has taken the decision at the time when the Indian government assigned $30 billion on the modernization of its armed forces.

Two American military contractors - Lockheed Martin и Boeing - compete for the Indian orders. The transaction may prove to be the biggest deal in the sphere of arms trade.


Russia Loses India as Second Largest Defense Customer - Pravda.Ru
 

Bhagat Singh

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I believe this is correct strategy. India has purchased Russian/Soviet arms in the past as US and western allies denied it technology and latest weaponary.

However, circumstances has changed. What is the point of purchasing all this fancy weapons if they do not work in the hour of need. Also US companies know India is a key market if they want to continue making handsome profits in the coming year.

Pakistan is no longer a key threat. India with new purchases will move a level above the Pakistani capability. India needs to arm itself to meet the Chinese challenge. I do not want India to repeat the mistakes of 1962.
 

sky

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Buying american is a double edged sword.they have the best hardware money can buy,i mean when your defence budget runs in to hundreds off billions of dollars. american companys can spend big on r@d knowing uncle sam will only buy the best.the concern i have is if we buy american pressure from america on political issues .like iran, on the proposed ipi, you dont hear about that now.futher concerns would be if we went to war with pak would they hold back on spares and equipment.would they impose sanctions on us regarding our nuclear programme.we need firm assurances from them on a whole lot of things.this is even more vital when you consider they are also arming pak with aid money,we have more money to spend on capex so lets use it to our advatage and get closer to the only super power in the world.it will give pak/china sleepless nights and will strengthen our position in jk and our ap.
in summary[ BUY THE BEST WE CAN AFFORD,WITH THE MONEY WE HAVE] from who ever it may be. :india:
 

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