By Arup Roychoudhury
NEW DELHI, Dec 21 (Reuters) – India plans to spend about
$100 billion over the next 10 years to upgrade its largely
Soviet-era military equipment, as Asia’s third-largest economy
looks to match its growing economic clout with military power.
Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, India, one of the
world’s largest arms importers, has shifted towards buying from
the West as Russian products were plagued by delivery delays,
maintenance problems and a lack of spare parts.
But Russia remains one of its India’s main suppliers and on
Monday, during a visit by President Vladimir Putin, agreed to
sell India dozens of Russian military helicopters and kits for
the assembly of Sukhoi jets.
The following are details of current Russian weapon
platforms and possible future contracts with India:
AIR FORCE
The air force relies heavily on Soviet-era Mikoyan MiG
fighters, sometimes dubbed “flying coffins” in India for their
high crash rates, as well as Antonov and Ilyushin transport
aircraft and OPK Oboronprom’s Mil helicopters.
The most formidable aircraft in India’s fleet is United
Aircraft Corp’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI multi-role fighter.
More than 150 are in service and the total is due to rise to 272
by 2019. On Monday, Russia agreed to supply kits worth $1.6
billion to assemble the last 42 of these.
India is also developing a stealth fighter with Russia. It
will start taking delivery of about 140 such planes after 2020,
down from an earlier estimate of 200.
But this year the Mil Moscow Helicopter plant, a unit of
Oboronprom, lost bids for about 15 heavy-lift helicopters and 22
combat helicopters to Boeing Co, in deals totaling $2.4
billion.
Russia also lost out to Europe’s EADS in a $1
billion contract to supply aerial refuelling planes, while the
Russian Mig-35 lost out to France’s Dassault as the
preferred bidder in a $15 billion deal for 126 new combat jets.
However, advanced versions of the Mil Mi-17 medium-lift
helicopters, called Mi-17 V-5, are being bought in deals
totaling $1.3 billion for 71 units.
NAVY
Russia has delayed delivery of the trouble-plagued aircraft
carrier Admiral Gorshkov, to be renamed INS Vikramaditya, by at
least a year to the fourth quarter of 2013 in a blow to India’s
efforts to build up its navy as China expands its maritime
reach.
India is also building two aircraft carriers of its own with
Russian technical assistance. The first is expected to be taken
into service in 2017.
India has about 15 submarines in service, of which 11 are of
Soviet/Russian origin, including an Akula Class nuclear-powered
submarine. It also operates a large number of Soviet-era
warships. It is currently procuring a new batch of Talwar Class
stealth frigates, designed to be hard to detect, from Russia.
The navy plans to equip its carriers with about 45 Russian
MiG-29 combat jets and Kamov anti-submarine helicopters. Its
ageing fleet of Russian Tupolev maritime reconnaissance aircraft
will be replaced by the Boeing P-8.
The navy also plans to introduce around 60 utility
helicopters. Oboronprom’s Kamov unit is in the running for the
contract against firms from Europe and the United States.
ARMY
The army has more than 5,000 tanks and infantry fighting
vehicles of Soviet and East European origin in its fleet,
including the T-72 and T-55 tanks. It plans to introduce about
250 locally built main battle tanks and more than 2,000 Russian
T-90 tanks by 2020.
One of Russia’s biggest exports to India’s army, police and
paramilitary forces is the Kalashnikov assault rifle and its
numerous modern-day versions.
The army chose EADS’s Eurocopter AS 500 for an
order of 197 helicopters worth around $550 million in 2007. The
deal was later scrapped due to allegations of unfair field
trails and the bidding re-opened. The contenders are Eurocopter
and Kamov, and a decision is expected soon.
SOURCES: Government and military data portals, Reuters and
other media reports.
(Reporting by Arup Roychoudhury; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
