(a) whether any specific agreement or understanding has been reached between the Governments of India and Russia to purchase defence equipments, Naval ships and other items from Russia for India’s defence requirements during the recent visit made by Russian President to India;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the details of the existing co-operation between the two countries in the field of Defence?
MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI GEORGE FERNANDES)
(a) & (b): During the visit of President Putin to
India on October 2-5, 2000, Agreements on -
(i)
Establishment of the Indo-Russian Intergovernmental
Commission on Military Technical Cooperation;
(ii)
Supply of Aircraft Carrier Admiral Gorshkov;
(iii)
Transfer of technology and licensed production of SU-30
MKI aircraft to India; and
(iv) Purchase of T-90 Tanks
and transfer of technology for their indigenous
production; were concluded. It will not be in the
interest of national security to disclose details of
these Agreements.
(c) An Inter-governmental Agreement on long-term
Programme of Military Technical Cooperation upto the
year 2010 between the two countries exists. Disclosure
of details of this Agreement will not be in the interest
of national security.