DEFEXPO INDIA exhibition held biennially in Delhi, is one of the most representative arms shows in the region. Russia’s companies have constantly participated in this show of the land and naval armaments since its first edition in 2000, displaying their best products.
Russia is a long-standing and reliable strategic partner of India. Military-technical cooperation dates back to November 1964, when the first agreement was signed to supply MiG-21 aircraft to India. The Soviet Union also committed to export light tanks worth US$ 110 million and 20 helicopters.
In November 1965 the partners concluded a deal on the export of Soviet submarines. Later, large batches of MiG-series fighters, Mi-4 helicopters, military vehicles, guided shells and ammunition were delivered to India. A license agreement was signed in November 1970 to manufacture improved MiG-21 fighters at Indian aircraft enterprises.
In March 1992, a protocol was signed under which Russia gave India a large credit to purchase military equipment. Later, India received MiG-29 and MiG-29UB aircraft from Russia. In 1994, contracts were secured for the construction of combatant ships. During the following year the Indian Navy received Project 877 submarines. November 1996 was marked by an agreement on the purchase of Su-30MK series multi-role fighters. In the same year a contract was signed to deliver Russian Tunguska-M missile/gun SP ADS and India also bought a large number of 130 mm M-46 field guns from Russia.
The year 1997 became an important milestone as the parties entered into a contract for the construction of frigates for the Indian Navy. All the ships had been handed over to the Indian Navy according to schedule. In the same year, Russia and India held talks on the licensed production of Su-30MKI.
In December 1998 the partners signed the Agreement on implementing the MTC Program through 2010 and a MoU concerning the transfer of the heavy aircraftcarrying cruiser Admiral Gorshkov to the Indian Navy. Six months later they agreed on training of the Indian military specialists in the RF MoD’s higher educational institutions. In the same year India’s MoD decided to buy the T-90S tanks. An accord was reached to transfer a license to India to produce the V-31 diesel engines powering these vehicles.
In July 2000, a handover ceremony of the last Project 877EKM submarine in a series of ordered boats to the Indian Navy was held. Russia also supplied the newest weapons for these submarines. Aside from torpedoes, the submarine built in 2000 was armed with 3M-54E1 missiles being part of the latest Club-S anti-ship missile system. The Club-N missile systems with 3N-54E1 missiles were installed on Project 11356 frigates.
In March 2000, India received the first batch of Krasnopol-M laser-guided artillery projectiles. A contract to deliver Mi-17 military transport helicopters was secured to be used in the Himalayan highlands. In the same year the guided-missile frigate Brahmaputra built with Russian technical assistance was commissioned. The modern Uran anti-ship missile system made up the backbone of the frigate’s armaments.
A 2006 contract to build Project 11356 frigates became a new step. They are designed to combat against surface ships and submarines, effectively operate as escort ships, repel air attacks, both independently and as part of naval forces. In terms of firepower, the frigate has actually caught up with the cruiser as a ship of the twenty-first century. It will be equipped with modern computer systems, while its combat data system will be able to identify all possible threats and propose the most effective ways to neutralize them. None ship of the Indian Navy offers such a high level of computerization. A distinctive feature of the frigate armaments will be the newest Brahmos missile system. Its missile has a reduced radar signature and can fly at extremely low altitudes at supersonic speeds. “This is a worldclass cruise missile” - said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The frigates are now under construction at the Yantar Baltic Shipyard, Kaliningrad. They will be handed over to the customer in 2011-2012 and will remain in service up to 25 years.
A 2007 contract to supply a large batch of T-90S MBTs to India, which is being successfully fulfilled, became a milestone. The first batch of T-90S built at a plant in Avadi from Indian- and Russian-made components was handed over to the Indian Army in August last year. Russia has transferred such technologies only to India to manufacture this unique gun/missile MBT. For a long time India had accounted for one third of the Russian arms exports. As a result, 70% of the Indian Army’s hardware is Soviet- and Russian-built weaponry, while the total Russian arms exports have exceeded US$ 35 billion. Over the last two years the share of naval equipment has reached 9-10% of all Rosoboronexport’s export deliveries, reaching US$ 6.5 billion. Rosoboronexport offers over fifty projects of warships and submarines.
