THE INDO-RUSSIAN SAGA CONTINUES AND THRIVES!

Mr Boris Yeltsin first came to India in January 1993 to sign a new friendship treaty, which replaced the 1973 treaty India had with the Soviet Union.The meeting was described as ``extremely warm.'' The meeting was unprecedented, as the Russian President normally does not receive defence chiefs of other countries and it reflected ``exceptional importance'' that Moscow attaches to Yadav's visit.Yeltsin was quoted as strongly reiterating top priority Russia accorded to India and calling for the further development of the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including defence cooperation. The 40-minute meeting between Yeltsin and Yadav was closed to the press. Yeltsin beamed broadly as he shook Yadav's hand. ``Relations between our countries are not just friendly -- they are brotherly,'' he said.It was reported that the Russian President has assured India that his country will not sell arms to Pakistan.Apart from his meeting with Yeltsin and talks with the Russian Defence Minister General Igor Sergeyev, Yadav also met the newly appointed Defence Council Secretary, Andrei Kokoshin, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister, Yakov Urinson, who oversees defence production and arms trade. Earlier on October 6, Yadav and his counterpart, Gen. Igor Sergeyev, agreed to expand bilateral cooperation within the framework of the inter-service cooperation signed during the then Defence Minister Gen. Rodionov's visit to New Delhi in October 1996.On October 8, Yadav held discussions with Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yakov Urinson, who also holds charge of the country's military industrial complex (MAPO). The meeting capped off the official engagement of the Indian Defence Minister to Russia. During the meeting, it was decided to set up a new joint working group for defence production cooperation to land weapon systems. The new working group will deal with the joint modernisation and development of new land weapons systems, such as artillery, rockets, guns and tanks. The working group will be headed by Indian Defence Production Secretary, T. S. Vijayaraghavan and a Russian Deputy Economy Minister. The establishment of the new joint working committee is in line with the current emphasis on the pooling of the defence technology potentials of India and Russia in the framework of the long-term defence cooperation programme between the two countries.This will be the third joint working group in the field of defence production: the other two deals with upgradation of Indian Air Force's MiG-21 and construction of Project 15 frigates for Indian Navy.Urinson is reported to have told Yadav, ``Ours is not just a buyer-seller relationship, but one thrusting joint R&D and integration of weapon systems.''During the Indian Defence Minister's visit to the 100-year old MIG plant (MAPO) on October 8, Director General of the plant (MAPO) Grigory Nemov is reported to have proposed joint production and global marketing of the Russian advanced jet trainer, MiG-AT; a co-production of the aircraft and the Snecma Larzac engine has also been proposed.Yadav promised to study the proposal and said that New Delhi would consider the offer within the framework of long-term defence cooperation between the two countries.In fact, Yadav also took keen interest in the assembly lines of MiG-29 and MiG-AT at MAPO during a tour of the factory. He also visited a museum there and spent some time at the section devoted to cooperation between the Indian aerospace industry and MAPO. At a function at the MIG plant, Yadav spoke in glowing terms of the strong ties between the two countries and cited the US$ 300 million MiG-21 upgradation project and the $ 1.8 billion Sukhoi Su-30 deal as examples of this cooperation.The fruits of joint R&D in developing Su-30MkI would be used by India for developing the country's own Light Combat Aircraft, he said.According to reports, the stalled Rs. 600 crore deal for upgradation of MiG-21 aircraft might have figured in the Indo- Russian negotiations. The Indian delegation will also initiate negotiation s on a fresh deal to upgrade MiG-27 aircraft. The ground attack aircraft have been pushed into the hangars for want of upgradation and refurbishment. The MiG-27 upgradation will be worth at least Rs. 500 crore to the Russians.Another item on Mulayam Singh's agenda was to build a replacement for the decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. An indigenous project called Air Defence Ship (ADS) is under way and India is likely to source expertise from Russia for the purpose.India is keen on procuring four Ka-30 AEW helicopters and some T-72S tanks for the Indian Army and two Type 877 EKM submarines and three frigates for Indian Navy.However, according to Russian sources, the current talks focused on India's desire to purchase a long list of Russian weapons. Among the potential acquisitions are six frigates for the Indian Navy, four IL-78 airborne refuelling aircraft to extend the range of Indian Air Force's Su-30 fighters, two modern Kilo-class submarines, and Kamov Ka-30 AEW helicopter. India is also particularly keen to acquire Russia's S-300 PMU-1 anti-aircraft system to make it the backbone of India's anti-aircraft and anti-missile defence network in the coming century. The Russians also claimed India is continuing negotiations to buy the Admiral Gorshkov, as a replacement for INS Vikrant. Yadav and his counterpart reviewed the progress after the post- Soviet Union period and chart out the future direction of interaction in the defence sphere.The Indian defence minister, during his five-day tour of Russia starting October 6, also paid visit to the Russian Defence Academy and a host of other Russian defence establishments located in the vicinity of Moscow and to St. Petersburg, a major arms producing centre.Incidentally, Yadav's visit to Russia was the first by an Indian defence minister in the last five years.The high-level delegation accompanying the defence minister included Defence Secretary Ajit Kumar, Vice Chief of Indian Army Lt. Gen. Chandra Shekhar, Vice Chief of Indian Navy Vice Admiral Sushil Kumar, Vice Chief of Indian Air Force Air Marshal A. Y. Tipnis, Joint Secretary in charge of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Karnail Singh and Joint Secretary (Planning and Coordination) in the defence ministry R. S. Jassal.Meanwhile, Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin on October 7 announced that his country was committed to develop trade and economic ties with India and said Moscow's friendship with New Delhi was a reality before the world.``Russia is not shy of showing its friendship with India to the world,'' he said during a meeting with the visiting Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, who is co-chairman of the Indo- Russian inter-governmental commission on trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation. Earlier, on October 6, Chidambaram inaugurated a week-long India Trade Exhibition in Moscow, organised by the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), where over 60 Indian companies displayed their products and services. Chidambaram also held consultations with Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin and discussed with him the work of joint Indo- Russian commission on trade, economic, technology and scientific cooperation. The joint commission will hold its next session in Delhi on November 27.It is expected to raise the level of Indo-Russian defence cooperation substantially by thrusting joint R&D work.The Russian leader said he was ``very keen'' and ``looking forward'' to visit India in response to a reiterated invitation conveyed to him by the Indian Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, whom he received in the Kremlin on October 7.Yeltsin will visit India early next year, to raise the level of bilateral cooperation to a qualitatively new level. It will be his second visit to India. He first came to India in January 1993 to sign a new friendship treaty, which replaced the 1973 treaty India had with the Soviet Union.The meeting was described as ``extremely warm.'' The meeting was unprecedented, as the Russian President normally does not receive defence chiefs of other countries and it reflected ``exceptional importance'' that Moscow attaches to Yadav's visit.Yeltsin was quoted as strongly reiterating top priority Russia accorded to India and calling for the further development of the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including defence cooperation. The 40-minute meeting between Yeltsin and Yadav was closed to the press. Yeltsin beamed broadly as he shook Yadav's hand. ``Relations between our countries are not just friendly -- they are brotherly,'' he said.It was reported that the Russian President has assured India that his country will not sell arms to Pakistan.Apart from his meeting with Yeltsin and talks with the Russian Defence Minister General Igor Sergeyev, Yadav also met the newly appointed Defence Council Secretary, Andrei Kokoshin, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister, Yakov Urinson, who oversees defence production and arms trade. Earlier on October 6, Yadav and his counterpart, Gen. Igor Sergeyev, agreed to expand bilateral cooperation within the framework of the inter-service cooperation signed during the then Defence Minister Gen. Rodionov's visit to New Delhi in October 1996.On October 8, Yadav held discussions with Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yakov Urinson, who also holds charge of the country's military industrial complex (MAPO). The meeting capped off the official engagement of the Indian Defence Minister to Russia. During the meeting, it was decided to set up a new joint working group for defence production cooperation to land weapon systems. The new working group will deal with the joint modernisation and development of new land weapons systems, such as artillery, rockets, guns and tanks. The working group will be headed by Indian Defence Production Secretary, T. S. Vijayaraghavan and a Russian Deputy Economy Minister. The establishment of the new joint working committee is in line with the current emphasis on the pooling of the defence technology potentials of India and Russia in the framework of the long-term defence cooperation programme between the two countries.This will be the third joint working group in the field of defence production: the other two deals with upgradation of Indian Air Force's MiG-21 and constru world,'' he said during a meeting with the visiting Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, who is co-chairman of the Indo- Russian inter-governmental commission on trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation. Earlier, on October 6, Chidambaram inaugurated a week-long India Trade Exhibition in Moscow, organised by the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), where over 60 Indian companies displayed their products and services. Chidambaram also held consultations with Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin and discussed with him the work of joint Indo- Russian commission on trade, economic, technology and scientific cooperation. The joint commission will hold its next session in Delhi on November 27 1997.