Russia Says To Sign S-400 Air Defence Deal With India

14 October 2016

India and Russia are set to jointly develop a miniature version of the Brahmos missile, which could have multiple utilities, including launching of agile cross border strikes to destroy terror infrastructure.

The new version of the missile, a formal contract for which is likely to be signed at the bilateral meet with Russia in Goa between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin, will be the first major upscaling of the Brahmos joint venture signed in 1998. Russia has also announced that an agreement on S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft missile system will also be signed on Saturday at the summit.

Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov was quoted in Russian reports as saying that a contract would be inked. India has a Rs 39,000-crore plan to acquire the S-400 system that will severely restrict Pakistan air force’s ability to operate even within its own airspace. Government sources have told ETthat talks on the new version of the Brahmos was finalised after months of discussion and it would figure as a prominent example of military cooperation at the summit. Besides, India and Russia are also set  to formalise a new joint venture between HAL and Kamov to manufacture a new series of light military choppers.

A work share agreement on the co-development of a fifth generation fighter aircraft is also finalised, senior officials have confirmed to ET. While officials are guarded on sharing information on the new version of the Brahmos, sources have told ET that it would be a much smaller version of the 300 km range cruise missile. Besides applications on ground, in submarines as well as an air launched version, sources share that a very special version of the new missile has been conceptualised.

 

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com