The task is to bring our relationship to a new level.
12.12.2018 Marina Scherbakova In the world , Editor's Choice
This was stated by the Indian Ambassador to Russia, answering questions from the "Red Star".
Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu flew to New Delhi, where on Thursday he will take part in the next meeting of the Russian-Indian intergovernmental commission on military-technical cooperation. In this format, it is planned to discuss the priority tasks of developing a privileged strategic partnership.
The future of Russian-Indian defense cooperation and how Make in India can be made in Russia can be described in an exclusive interview with Red Star by Indian Ambassador to Russia Datla Bala Venkatesh VARMA.
- Mr. Ambassador, this is already the 18th intergovernmental commission on military-technical cooperation under the chairmanship of the heads of the military departments of Russia and India. What results do you expect from the upcoming talks this year?
- We are looking forward to the Minister of Defense of Russia, His Excellency Mr. Shoigu in India at the 18th meeting of the bilateral Russian-Indian commission on military-technical cooperation. His arrival completes this year a series of visits that took place after President Putin visited Russia in New Delhi.
This year was also marked by the visit of our Minister of Defense, Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, to the Moscow Conference on International Security. In addition, in October and November, the Chief of Staff of the Indian Ground Forces, General Bipin Rawat, and the Chief of Staff of the Indian Navy, Admiral Sunil Lanba, visited Moscow for talks with the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Army General Valery Gerasimov.
This frequency of visits indicates a very close, special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia, one of the foundations of which is military and military-technical cooperation. The task of the upcoming joint commission is to review progress in these areas of cooperation and identify new priorities. They will include new projects, as well as joint research in the development, development and production of weapons and military equipment. In particular, we would like Russia to become a partner of the Indian program “Do it in India”.
- What does this program mean and how does it differ from traditional forms of military-technical cooperation?
- Now Russia and India are major military powers. We have our own power. The task before us is to bring our relations to a new level. Namely, to go beyond relations based on the principle “seller-buyer” to joint development and production, as well as to use each other’s strengths for closer cooperation.
From this position, we will support the Russian military industry and help it to become an active participant and partner in the Indian program “Do in India”. This will first of all reduce the cost of spare parts for equipment that already exists, and will also help in the development and production of new types of weapons and will facilitate their export to other countries.
At the same time, we certainly take into account the current international situation. And the position of India is now different from what it occupied 20-30 years ago. And these changes are beneficial not only for India, but also for Russia.
“Whatever the challenges, we can always answer them together”
- Does such cooperation envisage the creation of joint service centers for the repair and maintenance of equipment throughout the entire life cycle?
- The key standard for any equipment is its maintainability. And we must constantly strive to maintain the effectiveness of our weapons and military equipment at a high level. This is a very important question, because we have a lot of Russian equipment that requires certified maintenance.
This process is technically difficult and lengthy, so we proposed to jointly reach a common understanding of after-sales support. In India, we are ready to create such conditions with the participation of Russian manufacturers of original equipment that will make the supply chain and service more efficient. I am confident that the negotiations in New Delhi will allow us to come closer to achieving this goal.
- What prerequisites for this have already been formed and what can serve as an example of a special and privileged level of strategic partnership?
- Your readers, of course, would like to know how closely India cooperates with Russia. But not all aspects of our cooperation are of such a nature that we can declare publicly. Nevertheless, there are quite real examples. The main tank of the Indian army is the Russian T-90. Su-30MKI or MiG-29 fighters, which protect the Indian sky, were also produced in the Russian Federation. With regard to air defense, a very recent example is the conclusion of a contract for the supply of anti-aircraft missile systems S-400.
A great example is the joint program to create the BrahMos missile system, which, by its technical characteristics, accuracy, reliability, and price-quality combination, is considered one of the best in the world. Many more examples can be cited, but in each of them there are such features of cooperation that Russia provided only to India.
- Do you experience pressure from other global players and how much influence does it have on the official position of New Delhi?
- India and Russia are strategic partners and at the same time remain sovereign states. Therefore, an integral part of their bilateral relations is the result of mutual interest and mutual decisions. None of our states will allow interference with these decisions. At the same time, it would be naive to believe that an international situation that is becoming more and more complex could be ignored.
We do not live in a vacuum, but the inherent value of the Russian-Indian strategic partnership is that no matter what the challenges, we can always answer them together, based on mutual trust. For more than 50 years, Russia has helped us when no other country was ready to do this. We highly appreciate Russian assistance, and this is something we will never forget. India and Russia are large countries with their own right and their own weighty contribution, which we, in cooperation with other countries, are making to ensure international stability.
- At the same time, cooperation in the field of defense and security is not limited to matters of a purely technical nature. This is confirmed by the regular joint exercises Indra, the land stage of which just a week ago was completed in India.
- India is conducting military exercises with more than ten countries, but the Indra-Russian-Indian exercises have the longest history. A series of joint exercises has already established a high level of trust between our countries. We have formed a mutual understanding of international terrorism and the ability to counter it through joint tactical operations. Naturally, taking into account the challenges that arise today on the Eurasian continent. These factors are of fundamental importance to us.
We look forward to the next joint exercises on our territory, in which all three types of armed forces will be involved. The first such exercises took place last year, after which it was decided to hold joint exercises of this magnitude every two years. And this will be the next important step in our bilateral relations.
The partnership between India and Russia includes those aspects that we do not consider in the framework of relations with any other country, either in terms of military or in terms of military-technical cooperation. Therefore, the level and spectrum of such an interaction is very important. If you combine this and link together with the best relations based on mutual trust at the highest level over the years, you can find the answer to the main question: why our relations are in the nature of a special and privileged strategic partnership.
Alexander ALEXANDROV, "Red Star"
