India raises concern over Russian attack copter sale to Pakistan

[Gryphon]

Rahul Bedi, New Delhi and James Hardy, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
23 June 2014

India is concerned about Russia's potential sale of Mi-35s, similar to this Afghan model, to Pakistan. Source: AP Photos

India's defence links with Russia are under strain following Moscow's recent decision to supply Mi-35 'Hind E' attack helicopters to Pakistan.

Senior Indian officials are closely monitoring Russian attempts to sell an unspecified number of Mi-35s to Pakistan: a move that would tear up a decades-old informal understanding between Delhi and Moscow against supplying Islamabad any materiel.

"By offering to sell military equipment to Pakistan, the Russians are, in all probability, trying to arm-twist India from sourcing its defence requirements from alternate suppliers," former Indian Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash told IHS Jane's . "Such tactics should not intimidate India's new administration."

Pakistan's national security and foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz travelled to Moscow to thank Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for the helicopters on 21 June, just two days after Indian leaders raised concerns in New Delhi with visiting Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.

Aziz also "expressed the hope that Pakistan's further request for defence equipment would also be considered soon as part of our continued defence collaboration", a 20 June Pakistan Foreign Office statement said.

It remains unclear how many Mi-35s Russia has agreed to supply and the status of negotiations. The Pakistan Army's existing attack helicopter fleet is made up of a mix of AH-1F/S Cobras supplied by the United States. These are used to provide surveillance, attack, and close air support to ground forces engaging militants in the Tribal Areas and surrounds.

Official sources in Delhi said Rogozin had provided "ambiguous" assurances to Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj that Indian and Russian military ties would not be jeopardised by the sale to Pakistan.

Rogozin was in Delhi to reaffirm Moscow's defence ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's newly installed BJP-led government. His visit followed a 4 June statement by the Russian ambassador to India Alexander M Kadakin, who said Moscow would not do anything that would be "detrimental" to the deep strategic partnership between Delhi and Moscow.

Russia has been India's largest weapons supplier since the early 1960s, but since 2000 its monopoly has been gradually diluted by Israel, European states, and the United States.

Moscow still supplies 75.7% of India's defence equipment, followed by the US (6.8%) and Israel (5.2%). It also provides India technical assistance with some of its more classified strategic programmes, such as its nuclear-powered attack submarines.

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India unhappy at Russia's Mi-35 sale to Pakistan - IHS Jane's 360

 

[HAIDER]

India has no choice, it has to stick with Russia. Because what Russia can give them, nobody will even offer them...From AC carrier to Nuke Subs....

 

[OCguy]

No doubt when Russia met with India over this deal, they were placated with some sort of deal. The same happens when sales are made with Pakistan.

 

[FunkyGen]

Anything that gives Indians "THE BURN" is a good thing.....

 

[Raphael]

Senior Indian officials are closely monitoring Russian attempts to sell an unspecified number of Mi-35s to Pakistan: a move that would tear up a decades-old informal understanding between Delhi and Moscow against supplying Islamabad any materiel.

Not a reasonable understanding anymore. India has been diversifying its suppliers for quite a while now. But Russia can't diversify its buyers?

 

[Kompromat]

India would still be equally unhappy even if the Russians had been selling, a pile of waterguns to Pakistan for they can be used to hurl water at India hence putting its security at a peril.

 

[KingMamba]

^^ Sums up Indian reaction ^^

 

[mandrom]

Not a reasonable understanding anymore. India has been diversifying its suppliers for quite a while now. But Russia can't diversify its buyers?

A very real question.

 

[VelocuR]

Last few weeks many Indians were trolling and bullshitting. Now read it again in the first post.

 

[SamantK]

India would still be equally unhappy even if the Russians had been selling, a pile of waterguns to Pakistan for they can be used to hurl water at India hence putting its security at a peril.

We should be concerned with any defence vendor who sells weapons to Pakistan.. your comparison is very childish.

 

[Secur]

India would still be equally unhappy the if Russians had sold a pile of waterguns to Pakistan for they can be used to hurl water at India hence putting its security in peril.

Merge all these threads , the way I see it , the concerns and unhappiness and protests will continue for some time and reported by the news outlets with the same frequency .

You know there were people who said yesterday on a similar thread how India isn't concerned , didn't protest , not whine , the deal being militarily insignificant for them , doesn't care e.t.c

I asked a very simple question that is it possible that India which considers its duty to express concerns and protest at every military deal ( even if its some bullets ) made with Pakistan by different countries ( even China ) didn't do so with its old and time tested allies at Kremlin and that too concerning the Hind - which is one of the best versatile helicopter that money can acquire?

 

[Pakistanisage]

This is highly immature behavior on part of India. India has been purchasing Military Hardware from the US and so India has no leg to stand on. India can not dictate to Russia who it can sell to or not no more than Russia can dictate to India not to buy Defence Products from the US.

This is pretty much a done deal so Indians need to take a CHILL PILL.

 

[acid rain]

Still no actual naming of any Indian official while there are names of russian and pakistani officials? hmmm I smell bull shit.

This is highly immature behavior on part of India. India has been purchasing Military Hardware from the US and so India has no leg to stand on. India can not dictate to Russia who it can sell to or not no more than Russia can dictate to India not to buy Defence Products from the US.

This is pretty much a done deal so Indians need to take a CHILL PILL.

Thats good, if its a done deal then pls inform what is the make and the numbers? or is it supposed to be a secret deal without the knowledge of the Indians?.

 

[Secur]

Rahul Bedi, New Delhi and James Hardy, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

Do you have a subscription to Jane?

Thats good, if its a done deal then pls inform what is the make and the numbers? or is it supposed to be a secret deal without the knowledge of the Indians?.

Yes , a fait accompli , a done deal . Moscow has confirmed the deal a long time ago and the Pakistan's national security and foreign affairs advisor flew to Moscow to thank its Russian counterparts for it . You know how we will know this? Taking the Pakistan's official radio silence policy regarding its acquisitions and projects into account , it most probably wont be until the helicopters land in this country , that we know of the details of this deal . Thats how it works for we aren't loud mouths .

P.S Its two squadrons of Mi35 Hind E as per unofficial reports .

 

[acid rain]

Do you have a subscription to Jane?



You know how we will know this? Taking the Pakistan's official radio silence policy regarding its acquisitions and projects into account , it most probably wont be until the helicopters land in this country , that we know of the details of this deal . Thats how it works for we aren't loud mouths .

Thats good, what I was thinking is that the Russians would clear the sale list with India before actually delivering any equipment to pakistan.

Good to know that Russo Pak relations have reached such a level that the russians dont think it necessary to inform the Indians and that both of your countries have done a secret deal.

There's one more section of learned Indians who are simplying laughing their guts out at the supposed childish arm twisting game that the russians are involved in by making a scapegoat out of pakistani sentiments - and the same bunch are also predicting that just like the unicorn there are a few imaginary hinds that are coming into pakistan - but I bet that those are the butthurt Indians who are jealous of the blossoming Pak - Russ events and the sudden change of tide for unknown reasons.

P.S Its two squadrons of Mi35 Hind E as per unofficial reports .

Good good, why still unofficial? why no declaration of a major diplomatic coup?.