India reverts to Russia for defence equipment needs

In recent months New Delhi has either signed deals or engaged in advanced negotiations with Russia to acquire defence equipment worth about USD20 billion. This includes the USD5.5 billion deal signed in November 2018 to procure five Almaz-Antey S-400E Triumf self-propelled surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the USD3 billion contract signed in March this year to lease another Project 971 ‘Akula’-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSNs) to the Indian Navy (IN) for 10 years from 2025.

Russian S-400 Triumf SAM systems in position near the Crimean town of Dzhankoy, 12 miles from the Ukrainian border, in November 2018. That same month India signed a USD5.5 billion deal to procure five of these systems. (Sergei Malgavko/TASS/PA Images)

India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) also signed deals in late 2018 worth USD2 billion that include four Admiral Grigorovich (Project 11356M)-class stealth frigates, two of which are to be licence-built locally by Goa Shipyard Limited. Additionally, the MoD signed a contract in late February worth more than USD1 billion to licence-produce 750,000 AK-203 7.62 mm assault rifles, mostly for the Indian Army (IA).

Meanwhile, the two countries are in advanced negotiations to close a USD1 billion deal for the supply of 200 Kamov Ka-226T ‘Hoodlum’ light multi-role helicopters to the IAF and the Army Aviation Corps, with 140 to be built locally and 60 to be acquired in a fly-away condition. They are also negotiating a USD800 million deal that would allow India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to licence-build an additional 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters after completing construction of 272 similar platforms by 2020–21.