Rosoboronexport Completes Certification for Repair of VK-2500 Engine in India

Russia's Rosoboronexport recently completed certification for the repair of the VK-2500 engine in India.

The certification is part of an offsets program executed for an earlier purchase of Mi-17V-5 helicopters by India.The VK-2500 engine powers the Mi-17 series of helicopters.

In December 2012, India signed a contract with Russia for 71 Mi-17V-5 helicopters at a reported cost of US$1.3 billion.

In 2024, capacities for repairing the avionics of Mi-17 helicopters, created in association with an Indian enterprise, were launched.

In addition, the creation of aviation equipment manufacturing lines (aviation hoses) in India is nearing completion.

These projects are fully consistent with the Make in India and Self-reliance principles, are being implemented by Rosoboronexport within the framework of offset programs and are aimed at improving the maintenance system, which will generally increase the efficiency of the concerned Indian helicoper fleet, sources told Defensemirror.com.

Notably, as part of Rosoboronexport's earlier offset work in India, facilities for repairing Mi-8/17 helicopter units were established, along with training centers for helicopter pilots.

Russia is hoping to use its experience in executing offsets programs in India with its next big helicopter project in India, the KA-226T which is now being offered with a brand new Russia-made helicopter engine.