India and Russia discuss joint production of aircraft weapons for IAF

By siliconindia  |  Tuesday, 14 November 2023, 08:33:30 AM IST

India and Russia discuss joint production of aircraft weapons for IAF
Rosoboronexport, the state-owned Russian arms exporter, has entered into discussions with Indian enterprises to explore the possibility of jointly producing aircraft weapons specifically designed for the Indian Air Force. This collaboration could potentially lead to significant advancements in the Indian defence sector, with the integration of advanced Russian technology in aircraft weaponry. The talks between the two nations highlight the strong bilateral relationship between Russia and India in the realm of defence, which has been ongoing for several decades.
"Rosoboronexport is working with Indian private and public enterprises to organize joint production of aviation weapons and integrate them into the existing aviation fleet in India", Rosoboronexport's General Director Alexander Mikheyev as saying.
It was not specified which Indian companies would be involved or when potential production would begin. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report for this year, Russia is still India's biggest arms supplier with a 45% share of Indian defence imports in 2022.
According to Mikheyev, Rosoboronexport and its Indian partners have supplied the Indian Ministry of Defence with Su-30MKI fighter jets, tanks, armoured vehicles, and shells. Additionally, India and Russia have commenced joint production of the AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifles at the start of this year.

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