BRIEFS
RUSSIA: Continued Arms Sales Indicate Strong India-Russia Relationship
Tryggvi Hjaltason
Issue date: 10/14/09 Section: Eagle Eye
Summary: Russia has been India's primary military hardware supplier for nearly half a century, and recent arms contracts indicate that New Delhi will continue this relationship.
Development: India announced its interest in buying 50 additional Su-30 multirole fighters from Russia. This would expand India's Su-30 fleet by 18 percent, expanding from its previously-ordered 230 Su-30s from the Russian Federation. Russia is currently testing MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB multirole-fighters-single and double-seat, respectively, carrier-based variants of the MiG-29-that are scheduled for delivery to India. This is part of Russia's original1.5 billion dollar deal to deliver 12 MiG-29Ks, four MiG-29KUBs, six combined Ka-27 Helix-A anti-submarine helicopters and Ka-31 Helix radar picket helicopters, and a refurbished Soviet-era aircraft carrier, the Admiral Gorshkov, to the Indian Navy by 2012.
Analysis: This is the most recent arms contract between Russia and India. India's interest in an additional 50 Su-30s is an indication of its interest in continuing to use Russia as its primary arms supplier. In addition to the Admiral Gorshkov deal, India is also negotiating the purchase of three Krivak IV-class guided missile frigates and the leasing of a new generation Akula II-class nuclear attack submarine from Russia. India has been one of Russia's most important military hardware customers since 1960, and it seems this relationship will continue. India is allocating billions of dollars into modernizing its armed forces. India, China, and Venezuela are Russia's primary arms clients, making those countries very important to its economy, which is based primarily on energy and military hardware exports.
Development: India announced its interest in buying 50 additional Su-30 multirole fighters from Russia. This would expand India's Su-30 fleet by 18 percent, expanding from its previously-ordered 230 Su-30s from the Russian Federation. Russia is currently testing MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB multirole-fighters-single and double-seat, respectively, carrier-based variants of the MiG-29-that are scheduled for delivery to India. This is part of Russia's original1.5 billion dollar deal to deliver 12 MiG-29Ks, four MiG-29KUBs, six combined Ka-27 Helix-A anti-submarine helicopters and Ka-31 Helix radar picket helicopters, and a refurbished Soviet-era aircraft carrier, the Admiral Gorshkov, to the Indian Navy by 2012.
Analysis: This is the most recent arms contract between Russia and India. India's interest in an additional 50 Su-30s is an indication of its interest in continuing to use Russia as its primary arms supplier. In addition to the Admiral Gorshkov deal, India is also negotiating the purchase of three Krivak IV-class guided missile frigates and the leasing of a new generation Akula II-class nuclear attack submarine from Russia. India has been one of Russia's most important military hardware customers since 1960, and it seems this relationship will continue. India is allocating billions of dollars into modernizing its armed forces. India, China, and Venezuela are Russia's primary arms clients, making those countries very important to its economy, which is based primarily on energy and military hardware exports.
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