Russia will try to comply with any request from India to expedite the delivery of five S-400 air defense systems, with the first batch to be delivered to New Delhi in late 2021, a Russian diplomat said on Thursday.
The two countries are also close to finalizing an agreement for Ka-226 multipurpose helicopters that will ensure as much component localization as possible in line with the Make in India and Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-sufficient India) initiatives, Russia’s deputy director. of the mission Roman Babushkin said.
The $ 5.4 billion deal for S-400 air defense systems is being rolled out according to schedule with the first batch arriving in India by the end of next year. “If there is a request from the Indian side to speed up [the] S-400 [delivery], we will be ready to do our best to meet this requirement, ”said Babushkin.
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The India-China border clash has prompted calls from some quarters to seek expedited delivery of air defense systems despite the possibility of US sanctions under the Fight Against US Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). India made the first payment of $ 850 million for the S-400s last year and New Delhi and Moscow have developed a comprehensive system to isolate payments from US sanctions.
Babushkin said India and Russia are very close to finalizing the deal for the supply of 200 Kamov Ka-226 helicopters, 140 of which will be produced in India with “the highest possible level of localization.” The $ 2 billion deal is “in the final stages of consideration,” he added.
The two parties are also negotiating the contract for the production of more than 700,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles through a joint venture and advanced cooperation on Su-30MKI aircraft, T-90 main battle tanks, frigates, submarines and missiles. . Russia will have a large presence at the Aero India 2021 exhibition in Bengaluru and is also working towards the early implementation of an agreement on the joint production of spare parts for military equipment of Russian origin.
In addition to partnering with India to supply military systems such as the BrahMos cruise missile to third countries, Russia is working on a mutual logistical support agreement and strengthening maritime cooperation, including in the Indian Ocean, Babushkin said.
Referring to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue that includes India, Australia, Japan and the US and the Malabar naval exercise of these four countries, Babushkin said that Moscow has no doubts about New Delhi’s approach to promoting “maritime connectivity. , disaster management, blue economy and humanitarian cooperation in the Indian and Pacific oceans ”.
However, the understanding of the Indo-Pacific strategy among Quad member states is different and requires a “comprehensive, inclusive, open and forward-looking dialogue” on the issue, he said.
Russia is also opposed to “restricted security blocks and imposing forced changes in supply chains for geopolitical reasons,” he added.
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