Form of words:
New Delhi: India is looking to convert buyer-seller bilateral defense ties with Russia to joint production, but without the recurring issue of royalties, ThePrint has learned.
India and Russia met on Monday for their first 2+2 dialogue.
Sources in the defense and security establishment said that while India has diversified its sourcing of military hardware over the years mainly from Russia to other countries including the US, France and Israel, Moscow will continue to be a partner.
Russia saw 53 percent drop Arms exports to India may have increased from Paris to Delhi’s imports, data for the last five years showed.
India and Russia are considering signing a Defense Logistics Exchange Agreement later in the day when Russian President Vladimir Putin will sign an agreement with India for indigenous manufacturing and supply of spare parts used in Russian equipment in service. In addition to calling.
Another important development during Putin’s visit will be the signing of an agreement to start production of AK 203 rifles in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi district, sources said. As reported by ThePrint East.
Sources said that there could also be a program to formally hand over the S-400 Triumph air defense system to India.
Initial delivery of the first squadron of the S-400 missile defense system already started And is scheduled to be completed by the middle of this month.
Read also: S-400 deal in India’s ‘national interest’, will be the focus of Putin-Modi summit tomorrow
Focus of 2+2 Dialogue
Talking about the 2+2 talks, which will involve defense ministers and foreign ministers of both the countries, sources said Russia’s growing ties with China and the situation in Afghanistan will be on the agenda.
Asked about maintaining a good balance between Russia and the US, the sources said India’s relations with one country cannot be at the cost of another country.
He said that Russia is our old friend, whose contribution is incomparable.
Sources also said that the strategic partnership between India and Russia will also be discussed as India looks to lease a fourth nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) in addition to the Chakra III, for which an agreement was signed in 2019. were done, as Reported by ThePrint,
joint development, joint production
Talking about the overall agenda, especially in terms of defence, sources said that India is looking to move beyond buyer-seller relationship.
“The way forward is about joint development and joint production. We want Russian companies to come here and set up shops not only for India but also for the world. This will be economically viable for Russia as it means production capacity goes up,” said a source.
Another source said that while focusing on joint production, it will be under transfer of technology (TOT) and not through royalty.
Sources said India has always paid Moscow royalty for all domestically manufactured Indo-Russian products, including the BrahMos supersonic missiles.
This also meant that in future, when India sold BrahMos to a third country, a major part of the revenue would go to Russia as royalty.
Sources said the AK 203 deal also included royalty, but both sides have now decided on a ToT fee, which has brought down the cost of each rifle.
(Edited by Saikat Niyogi)
Read also: US unlikely to impose CAATSA sanctions on India for S-400, but other Russian deals won’t be easy
subscribe our channel youtube And Wire
Why the news media is in trouble and how you can fix it
India needs free, unbiased, non-hyphenated and questionable journalism even more as it is facing many crises.
But the news media itself is in trouble. There have been brutal layoffs and pay-cuts. The best of journalism is shrinking, crude prime-time spectacle.
ThePrint has the best young journalists, columnists and editors to work for it. Smart and thinking people like you will have to pay a price to maintain this quality of journalism. Whether you live in India or abroad, you can Here,