India and Russia to Step Up Defence Ties

In a spirit of a cooperation and understanding, India and Russia held their annual meeting to review the defence ties in Moscow on Tuesday (04 Oct 2011) and expressed “readiness to take all necessary measures to further expand the cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis.” In a Protocol signed after the Eleventh meeting of the India-Russia Inter-governmental Commission on Military Technical, co-chaired by the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony and his Russian counterpart Mr AE Serdyukov, the two sides noted with satisfaction that that during the period under review various diligent steps have been taken “to deepen interaction in the development of defence technologies, modernization of military equipment and joint manufacture of military-purpose products.” “Such cooperation involves the strengthening of interactions between the Armed Forces, defense industry enterprises and research agencies of the two countries,” the Protocol noted. Visibly happy at the outcome, Shri Antony told a group of Indian journalists shortly after the talks: “Distinct improvements have taken place in the pace of progress of many critical projects in the last one year. We value our friendship a great deal. Together we would like to consolidate our relationship and take it forward”. At the talks, the Indian delegation included the Defence Secretary Shri Shashikant Sharma, Secretary Defence Production Shri Shekhar Aggarwal, Indian Ambassador Shri Ajai Malhotra, Lt Gen MS Buttar, Air Marshal RK Sharma, Vice Admiral NN Kumar, Chief Controller of Research & Development of DRDO Dr. Avinash Chander, CMD Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Shri Ashok Nayak and DG Acquisition Shri Vivek Rae.