AK Antony to visit Russia, review military projects

ejazr

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Press Information Bureau English Releases

The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony will be leaving New Delhi on Monday for a three-day visit to Moscow (3-5 Oct 2011) to co-chair the 11th meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) with his Russian counterpart Mr. AE Serdyukov.

Shri Antony will be accompanied by a high-level official delegation including the Defence Secretary Shri Shashikant Sharma, Secretary Defence Production Shri Shekhar Aggarwal, Lt Gen MS Buttar, Air Marshal RK Sharma, Vice Admiral NN Kumar, Chief Controller of Research & Development of DRDO Dr. Avinash Chander, CMD Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Shri Ashok Nayak and DG Acquisition Shri Vivek Ray.

Besides regional and global security issues, the two sides will also review the progress of important ongoing projects such as Admiral Gorshkov, delivery of frigates and Multi-Role Transport Aircraft will come for discussion at the meeting. The two sides will also deliberate upon aspects relating to licensed manufacture and maintenance of T-90 Tanks and Su-30 MKI Aircraft in India.

The Russian side will offer a glance of the upcoming Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft by holding a test flight for the benefit of Shri Antony and his delegation. The two countries have signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement for joint design, development and production of FGFA involving Sukhoi Design Bureau on the Russian Side and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on the Indian side.

In the run up to the IRGC-MTC meeting, seven sub-groups and two working groups covering all areas of military technical cooperation between the two countries have met and discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to equipment and technology transfer, product support etc.

Shri Antony returns home on Wednesday (Oct 05, 2011)
 

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Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and his Indian counterpart Arackaparambil Kurian Antony will Today hold a meeting of the intergovernmental commission on military-technical cooperation, the Russian ministry reported.

The head of Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Anatoly Isaikin, said Russia is taking part in 20 tenders in India, with which it has a military-technical cooperation agreement until 2020.

The bilateral military cooperation program in particular stipulates that Russia will transfer the K-152 Nerpa attack submarine to India on a 10-year lease by the end of 2011. The deal was signed in 2004.

Other aspects of cooperation include the planned delivery of INS Vikramditya (the former Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov) to India in December 2012 after an upgrade, and the contract to supply India with 80 Mil Mi-17 Hip-H helicopters, expected to be fulfilled by the end of 2013.



Defence Minister AK Antony has dressed up like a Star Wars character for an honour salute in Russia :pound:


 

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Indian Minister Hails Russian Friendship, But Slams Tardiness



India and Russia held their annual meeting to review the defence ties in Moscow on Tuesday (04 Oct 2011) and expressed 'readiness to take all necessary measures to further expand the cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis'. In a Protocol signed after the eleventh meeting of the India-Russia Inter-governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation, co-chaired by the Defence Minister AK Antony and his Russian counterpart AE Serdyukov, the two sides noted with satisfaction that that during the period under review various diligent steps have been taken 'to deepen interaction in the development of defence technologies, modernization of military equipment and joint manufacture of military-purpose products'.

'Such cooperation involves the strengthening of interactions between the Armed Forces, defense industry enterprises and research agencies of the two countries', the Protocol noted.

Speaking at the meeting, Shri Antony said India-Russia defence relationship has grown both in content and scope over the years. He said India highly values the time tested, strong and multi- faceted relationship with Russia.

Referring to planned delivery of Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya, Shri Antony said, "We are keenly awaiting the induction of the Aircraft Carrier into the Indian Navy. This project has attracted considerable public attention in India. We hope that the induction will take place, on schedule, by end 2012. We also hope that all activities on the MiG-29K are completed to achieve synchronization with the aircraft carrier."

Nevertheless, Antony drew the attention of the Russian side to the vexing issue of delayed export clearances for vital repair equipment for already contracted weapons systems. This has been affecting supplies of defence equipment and spares. The Russian side assured the Indian side that the matter was receiving attention at highest levels in the Russian Government and efforts would made to institutionalize measures to avoid such delays in future.

Antony also expressed India's concern at the tardy progress made in the design and development of the Multi-Role Transport Aircraft (MTA). The two sides agreed to accelerate the progress of this Project and they would be meeting later this month.

With regard to the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), being jointly designed and developed by India and Russia, both sides noted that the first stage of the preliminary design contract has been successfully completed and the second stage of the PD Contract is to be finalised before September, 2012. The training programme for the Indian engineers covering nearly 20 courses was completed in July 2011. Both sides agreed to continue discussions for finalization of the R&D contract as per the agreed time lines of the general contract signed in December, 2008.
 

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