India signs purchase agreement for Kamov, frigates and S-400 defence systems from Russia

BENAULIM, GOA: India, which still procures 70 per cent of its defence equipment from Russia, on Saturday inked three major pacts -- to acquire and make Kamov helicopters as well as four frigates besides purchase S-400 air defence system from Moscow -- to bolster country's military preparedness.
The signing of KA-226T is a feather in the cap. The signing of the joint venture marks a new stage of cooperation between Russia and India in the helicopter industry, which was first defined by the intergovernmental agreement in December 2015. In addition, the joint venture (50.5 per cent HAL & 49.5 per cent Russian counterpart) will become a pilot project for the Russian-Indian part of the Make in India program.

"The joint venture for local production of Ka-226T is a profoundly new and substantial step in the development of cooperation between India and Russia. The fleet of Russian-made helicopters in India is over 400 units. But this is the first of such large-scale complex agreements for delivery and production of new helicopters in the amont of 200 units, which is fully in line with the Make in India initiative" Rostec CEO, Sergei Chemezov told a select group of Indian media. "In addition, over the next 5 years there will be facilities set up for maintenance and servicing of the produced helicopters. Therefore the agreement presents not just production but a full-life cycle contract." The supply of helicopters will begin from 2017.
India has a Rs 39,000-crore plan to acquire the S-400 system that will severely restrict Pakistan air force’s ability to operate even within its own airspace. According to Chemezov this is currently the most modern air defence system in the world. The contract is likely to signed next year and supplies may begin from 2020.
While the two frigates for the Navy will be made in Russia and supplied to India, the remaining two will be made in India bolstering India's military capabilities.

At the Summit here the two sides underlined the need to expand training, joint exercises and institutionalized interactions between the Armed Forces of both countries.

Delhi and Moscow also decided to hold Indo-Russian military industrial conference later in 2016 and create bilateral Science & Technology Committee. The Indo-Russian Military industrial Conference will address military equipment related issues including spares, repair and maintenance of Russian supplied equipment and co-production. Private players too would be invited to participate under Make in India initiative. The Bilateral Science & Technology Committee would focus on matters relating to R&D collaboration in such high-tech areas as IT, communication, cyber security, medical engineering, outer space cooperation, remote sensing, etc.