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NEW DELHI: Russia remains peeved with India for selecting French Rafale fighters and American Chinook and Apache helicopters over its aircraft, as also for stalling the proposed joint projects for producing its fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) and multi-role transport aircraft (MTA).
India, in turn, remains miffed with Russia for not sticking to promised delivery schedules and jacking up costs mid-way through execution of contracts as well as persisting technology transfer hurdles and poor spares support. India is also livid at Russia for lifting the arms embargo against Pakistan, which has already led to a Mi-35 attack helicopter contract amid talk of more deals being in the offing.
But casting aside such heartburns, India and Russia are now getting all set to further step-up their long-running strategic tango that led the two countries to seal defence deals worth over $45 billion since the early-1960s.
Defence minister Manohar Parrikar left for a three-day visit to Russia late on Friday night to discuss a slew of major military projects on the anvil, ranging from the lease of a nuclear-powered submarine to the acquisition of S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems, which will set the stage for the Modi-Putin summit in Moscow in December.
India's acquisition of 10 S-400 systems, which can destroy hostile aircraft, stealth fighters, missiles and drones at ranges up to 400-km, is right on top of the agenda, as was first reported by TOI on October 11. MoD sources on Friday said the project was being "fast-tracked" as a "critical operational requirement" through a government-to-government deal.
It has become all the more urgent since China will get six S-400 battalions from 2017 onwards under a $3 billion deal inked with Russia. "Pakistan, too, is showing interest in the S-400 systems," said a source.
Similarly, MoD wants to kick off the joint project for the manufacture of around 200 Russian Kamov Ka-226T light utility helicopters under the "Make in India" policy by the next financial year. The acquisition of a second nuclear-powered submarine on lease is also very much on the cards. India had inducted the first Akula-II submarine, christened INS Chakra, on a 10-year lease from Russia in April 2012, under a secret $900 million deal inked way back in January 2004.
All this also dovetails into India's long-term plan to build six nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), which was approved by the cabinet committee on security and will see some Russian collaboration, as was first reported by TOI in February.
But the FGFA project remains deadlocked, with India still not fully confident of the technical capabilities of the Russian Sukhoi T-50 (PAK-FA) fighters and the timeframe in which they can actually be delivered.
Russia is yet to accept India's request for IAF pilots to test-fly the T-50, which as of now does not meet the critical FGFA parameter of being able to super-cruise. Moreover, India is now focusing on developing its own FGFA under the indigenous AMCA (advanced medium combat aircraft) project.
Typo??
India, in turn, remains miffed with Russia for not sticking to promised delivery schedules and jacking up costs mid-way through execution of contracts as well as persisting technology transfer hurdles and poor spares support. India is also livid at Russia for lifting the arms embargo against Pakistan, which has already led to a Mi-35 attack helicopter contract amid talk of more deals being in the offing.
But casting aside such heartburns, India and Russia are now getting all set to further step-up their long-running strategic tango that led the two countries to seal defence deals worth over $45 billion since the early-1960s.
Defence minister Manohar Parrikar left for a three-day visit to Russia late on Friday night to discuss a slew of major military projects on the anvil, ranging from the lease of a nuclear-powered submarine to the acquisition of S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems, which will set the stage for the Modi-Putin summit in Moscow in December.
India's acquisition of 10 S-400 systems, which can destroy hostile aircraft, stealth fighters, missiles and drones at ranges up to 400-km, is right on top of the agenda, as was first reported by TOI on October 11. MoD sources on Friday said the project was being "fast-tracked" as a "critical operational requirement" through a government-to-government deal.
It has become all the more urgent since China will get six S-400 battalions from 2017 onwards under a $3 billion deal inked with Russia. "Pakistan, too, is showing interest in the S-400 systems," said a source.
Similarly, MoD wants to kick off the joint project for the manufacture of around 200 Russian Kamov Ka-226T light utility helicopters under the "Make in India" policy by the next financial year. The acquisition of a second nuclear-powered submarine on lease is also very much on the cards. India had inducted the first Akula-II submarine, christened INS Chakra, on a 10-year lease from Russia in April 2012, under a secret $900 million deal inked way back in January 2004.
All this also dovetails into India's long-term plan to build six nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), which was approved by the cabinet committee on security and will see some Russian collaboration, as was first reported by TOI in February.
But the FGFA project remains deadlocked, with India still not fully confident of the technical capabilities of the Russian Sukhoi T-50 (PAK-FA) fighters and the timeframe in which they can actually be delivered.
Russia is yet to accept India's request for IAF pilots to test-fly the T-50, which as of now does not meet the critical FGFA parameter of being able to super-cruise. Moreover, India is now focusing on developing its own FGFA under the indigenous AMCA (advanced medium combat aircraft) project.
Typo??
