Russia hopes agreement with India soon on IGLA-S anti-air missile

New Delhi: Continuing the close defence partnership, Russia has hoped India will soon sign agreement on IGLA-S anti-air missile while India has announced it will soon produce spare parts of Russian defence equipment under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

India has signed an intergovernmental agreement with Russia to the manufacturing of spare parts of Russian equipment supplied to India. Indian defence forces have a substantial component of Russian military hardware, some estimates bill it around 70 per cent.

Indian envoy to Russia DB Venkatesh Varma said, "Now a number of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) on both sides are in touch with each other; this is a big step forward."

India's Secretary of Defence Production Raj Kumar had a meeting with key Russian defence bodies and Russian deputy minister for Industry and Trade Oleg Ryazansev a few days ago on the sidelines of Russian government's Army-2020 Forum.

Meanwhile, Dmitry Shugaev, the Director at Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, Russia's nodal body to export defence products to foreign countries has expressed hope that India will soon sign an agreement for production and supply of Igla S Anti Air Missile "since we have won the tender unconditionally".

Both sides are hoping to expedite the production of 7.62mm Kalashnikov Assault Rifle- AK203, a joint venture between the two countries. The Russians are also hopeful that contracts for six Ka-31 helicopters will be signed by end of 2020.

Spokesperson of FSMTC Maria Vorobyeva said, "We know that due to objective reasons, the Indian leadership decided to accelerate the allocation of funds for the purchase of the specified aircraft. The talks are already going on. We expect, that the contracts, including the one on 6 Ka-31 helicopters, are signed before the end of 2020."

Asked about S-400 anti-aircraft missile system, the spokesperson said, "Delivery of the first regimental batch is expected by the end of 2021" to India and "further acceleration of the delivery of the first batch from the system is technically impossible, since there are objective, technology-related stages of production, acceptance and transfer of equipment".

India had signed the contract for the deal during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit on October 5, 2018.