7 pacts to bolster defence manufacture in India

Seven memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreements were signed between Indian private defence sector manufacturing companies and Russian original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for the production and development of spares, sub-assemblies, assemblies of identified Russian origin platforms in use by the Indian Armed Forces.

At the India-Russia Military Industrial Conference, held on the sidelines of the Def Expo 2018 at Thiruvidanthai, Kancheepuram district on ECR near Chennai on Friday, the Indian delegation was led by Ajay Kumar, Secretary, Department of Defence Production inked several important pacts with the Russian side, led by Oleg Ryazantcev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russian Federation. Around 75 Indian defence sector manufacturing companies and 28 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) from Russian industry participated in the conference.

The focus of the conference outlined the need for improvement of after-sales support of Russian origin defence platforms in use by the Indian defence forces, while facilitating domestic manufacturing of some of the identified spare parts through collaborations between Indian vendors and Russian OEMs.

To begin with, India has identified 48 specific items covering major platforms that could be made in India with Russian collaboration. “Companies expressed interest and each item was evaluated based on their value. The proposed mechanism for ensuring safety of technology (one of the primary concerns in such ventures), Indian companies will provide end user certification, stating that the technology will only be used for the agreed purposes, through a tripartite contract, with Ministry of Defence countersigning,” said Rajib Kumar Sen, Economic Advisor and In-Charge, Defence Offsets Management Wing (DOMW).

Larsen & Toubro Limited and Joint Stock Company Rosoborenexport’s joint agreement includes Special Operation Vessels (SOV), Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) for underwater platforms, heavy weight torpedo (HWT), anti-torpedo defence system (ATDS) – all for the Indian navy in addition to the Future Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCV), co-production of ammunition such as 125 mm rounds 3VBM17 ‘Mango’ and 122mm rockets for MLRS grad in India.

M/S Ananth Technologies signed two joint agreements, one with the JSC Concern Radio-Electronic Technologies (KRET) for product support for defence systems designed, produced and supplied by KRET by manufacturing spare parts and providing service and maintenance of such items as well as upgrade of optic-electric sighting and navigation complex for Su-30MKI aircraft. The second JV with JSC Research and Production Corporation ‘Uralvagonzavod’ will involve setting up of technical and logistic support in India for the T-90S and T-72 tanks, which are in service with the Indian Army.

To ensure maximum operational availability of Su-30 MKI and helicopters of MI-8, MI-17 and MI35 variants, a technical and logistical support will be set up in India, thanks to a joint agreement between M/S Space Era and JSC KRET. This will also include operational availability of equipment related to Su-30 MKI and active jamming stations such as SAP-518 and SAP-14 and Electronic Warfare (EW) suite President S.

In the domain of naval systems, which feature a range of Russian-manufactured technology onboard the vessels, three joint agreements will focus on post-sale support and modernisation of the Freget radar system onboard Indian frontline warships and after-sales support for other Russian manufactured equipment powering Indian naval vessels.