he is a rugged type for sure .unlike american elites who drive in luxury 4x4s to staged
hunts on private reserves.
our mantriji would call out the NSG if a stray cat got on his roof.
India-Russia: News & Analysis
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Russia to test-launch four ICBMs by year-end
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Moscow:Russia will test-launch four inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBM) by the end of the year, the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) said Wednesday.
"In accordance with an adjusted missile launch programme for 2008, we will carry out four missile launches before the end of the year," Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov said.
The SMF this year had test-launched three ICBMs between June and August.
"All the launches were successful," he said.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Moscow:Russia will test-launch four inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBM) by the end of the year, the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) said Wednesday.
"In accordance with an adjusted missile launch programme for 2008, we will carry out four missile launches before the end of the year," Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov said.
The SMF this year had test-launched three ICBMs between June and August.
"All the launches were successful," he said.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Palin refuses to rule out war with Russia over Georgia
MOSCOW, September 12 (RIA Novosti) - Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has said that Georgia should be admitted to NATO, and that the United States could go to war with Russia if Moscow then attacked the South Caucasus state.
Speaking about the Georgian crisis in her in her first major interview since becoming Senator John McCain's running mate, the governor of Alaska said: "We've got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable."
Russia launched a five-day military operation to "force Georgia to accept peace" after Georgian troops attacked breakaway South Ossetia on August 8, killing a number of Russian peacekeepers and hundreds of civilians. Most residents of South Ossetia have Russian citizenship. On August 26, Moscow recognized both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another breakaway Georgian province, as independent states.
Palin told interviewer Charles Gibson of ABC News that Georgia should be granted membership of NATO. When pressed on whether this would mean that the U.S. would be obliged to defend Georgia if Russian troops went into the country again, she replied, "Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you're going to be expected to be called upon and help."
"What I think is that smaller democratic countries that are invaded by a larger power is something for us to be vigilant against," Palin added. "We have got to show the support, in this case, for Georgia."
She also called for NATO membership to be granted to Ukraine, another former Soviet republic.
Palin's comments came on the same day that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that Moscow had no desire to encroach upon the sovereignty of its neighbors.
"We have no desire or reason to encroach on the sovereignty of former Soviet republics," Putin said at a Valdai Discussion Club meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
"We have no imperial ambitions," he said.
At a summit in Bucharest in April, NATO members decided to postpone offering Georgia and Ukraine the chance to join the NATO Membership Action Plan, a key step toward full membership, but promised to review the decision in December.
U.S. presidential elections are scheduled for November 4. Current opinion polls show McCain and Palin even or slightly ahead of Democratic candidate Senator Barack Obama and his running mate, Senator Joe Biden.
The conservative "hockey mom" Palin has reinvigorated McCain's campaign, with crowds flocking to see her at pre-election rallies.
LINK
Ya Ya we all know how much guts US has to attack Russia..
MOSCOW, September 12 (RIA Novosti) - Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has said that Georgia should be admitted to NATO, and that the United States could go to war with Russia if Moscow then attacked the South Caucasus state.
Speaking about the Georgian crisis in her in her first major interview since becoming Senator John McCain's running mate, the governor of Alaska said: "We've got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable."
Russia launched a five-day military operation to "force Georgia to accept peace" after Georgian troops attacked breakaway South Ossetia on August 8, killing a number of Russian peacekeepers and hundreds of civilians. Most residents of South Ossetia have Russian citizenship. On August 26, Moscow recognized both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another breakaway Georgian province, as independent states.
Palin told interviewer Charles Gibson of ABC News that Georgia should be granted membership of NATO. When pressed on whether this would mean that the U.S. would be obliged to defend Georgia if Russian troops went into the country again, she replied, "Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you're going to be expected to be called upon and help."
"What I think is that smaller democratic countries that are invaded by a larger power is something for us to be vigilant against," Palin added. "We have got to show the support, in this case, for Georgia."
She also called for NATO membership to be granted to Ukraine, another former Soviet republic.
Palin's comments came on the same day that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that Moscow had no desire to encroach upon the sovereignty of its neighbors.
"We have no desire or reason to encroach on the sovereignty of former Soviet republics," Putin said at a Valdai Discussion Club meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
"We have no imperial ambitions," he said.
At a summit in Bucharest in April, NATO members decided to postpone offering Georgia and Ukraine the chance to join the NATO Membership Action Plan, a key step toward full membership, but promised to review the decision in December.
U.S. presidential elections are scheduled for November 4. Current opinion polls show McCain and Palin even or slightly ahead of Democratic candidate Senator Barack Obama and his running mate, Senator Joe Biden.
The conservative "hockey mom" Palin has reinvigorated McCain's campaign, with crowds flocking to see her at pre-election rallies.
LINK
Ya Ya we all know how much guts US has to attack Russia..
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Attack Russia. Do they have enough blood to shed ?
In WWII, it was Russians who took the brunt of German attack. US had to do some simple cleanup and that too terrified them.
First, US should try and fix its own problems in Afganistan and Iraq and then think, if they can really go to war with Russia.
In WWII, it was Russians who took the brunt of German attack. US had to do some simple cleanup and that too terrified them.
First, US should try and fix its own problems in Afganistan and Iraq and then think, if they can really go to war with Russia.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Interesting Medvedev speach with a question of an Indian journalust too: url
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Russian Defence Minister to visit India
Moscow, Sep 13 (UNI) Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov will pay a visit to India to take part in the eighth meeting of the Indo-Russian Intergovernmental Commission for Military-Technical Cooperation on September 28-30.
Mr Serdyukov, as co-chairman of the commission, would hold talks with Defence Minister A K Antony on various aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries.
They are expected to discuss the implementation of a joint programme for military-technical cooperation up to 2010 and preparations for its further extension, RIA Novosti reported.
The current programme comprises about 200 joint projects, including the modernisation of the Admiral Gorshkov heavy aircraft carrier for the Indian navy, the transfer of technologies for licensed assembly of T-90 tanks in India, the production of BrahMos missiles and the purchase of Smerch MLRS by India.
The commission's sessions are held alternatively annually in capitals of India and Russia. The previous meeting took place in Moscow in October last year.
During his stay, Mr Serdyukov is expected to visit BrahMos Aerospace Ltd complex in Delhi cantonment, and Agra.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
I am not sure how far behind Russians are with regards to armed forces. SU was very close to US in terms of technology or ahead in some areas. My understanding was that (Late 80's data), SU was ahead of US by atleast 10 years in Navy and land Armed forces, Way ahead in space technology and the only advantage US had was in the Airforce by atleast 10 years. I don't know how much this has changed after 1991. If USSR with thousands of nuke warheads could be disintegrated, then so can happen again with Russia. But this time I hope Russians will keep their economics in the right place and play games.
But still, off late I see that the only deterrence for Russians over US and west are the nukes and missiles. This over reliance by the Russians on the Nukes and missiles is very dangerous for the world. Russia has a need to modernize their conventional war making machine. Other wise if the redlines are crossed against Russia, the world will soon witness the nuclear war between Russia and the west or with China. And I can easily see that the west will test Russians hard, and they might do it by crossing some red lines. That's how they play games. Achieving the right conventional weapons parity with west for Russia, is as important as maintaining their strategic assets.
But still, off late I see that the only deterrence for Russians over US and west are the nukes and missiles. This over reliance by the Russians on the Nukes and missiles is very dangerous for the world. Russia has a need to modernize their conventional war making machine. Other wise if the redlines are crossed against Russia, the world will soon witness the nuclear war between Russia and the west or with China. And I can easily see that the west will test Russians hard, and they might do it by crossing some red lines. That's how they play games. Achieving the right conventional weapons parity with west for Russia, is as important as maintaining their strategic assets.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Not related to India, but to Russia....
What I have stated makes more sense, on the wake of this new threats by US on Russians...It is possible that Americans might be tempted to assume that Russians will not use the nooks, and try hard to Push Russians militarily using their conventional warfare superiority. This is a sensitive issue. This is apperant from teh next US VP aspirant Palin's statements. Americans know that they can blast Russians in a conventional warfare.
War with Russia next on the agenda
The Americans are currently on the offensive in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and (probably) Iran. But recently, ABC News reported that vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin won’t take a war with Russia off the table either!
When asked if Georgia joined NATO, whether the United States should go to war if the country was again invaded by Russia, Palin responded: “Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you’re going to be expected to be called upon and help.”
In the interview, Palin distorts the facts by saying that Russia invaded Georgia without provocation:
“And we’ve got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable,” she said.
If the Cold-war relic known as NATO means America has to fight Russia, then I humbly suggest that the US re-consider its involvement in that organisation.
What I have stated makes more sense, on the wake of this new threats by US on Russians...It is possible that Americans might be tempted to assume that Russians will not use the nooks, and try hard to Push Russians militarily using their conventional warfare superiority. This is a sensitive issue. This is apperant from teh next US VP aspirant Palin's statements. Americans know that they can blast Russians in a conventional warfare.
War with Russia next on the agenda
The Americans are currently on the offensive in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and (probably) Iran. But recently, ABC News reported that vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin won’t take a war with Russia off the table either!
When asked if Georgia joined NATO, whether the United States should go to war if the country was again invaded by Russia, Palin responded: “Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you’re going to be expected to be called upon and help.”
In the interview, Palin distorts the facts by saying that Russia invaded Georgia without provocation:
“And we’ve got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable,” she said.
If the Cold-war relic known as NATO means America has to fight Russia, then I humbly suggest that the US re-consider its involvement in that organisation.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Russia successfully tests new ballistic missile
Fri, Sep 19 12:41 AM
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia successfully tested its newest Bulava ballistic missile on Thursday, launching it from a nuclear submarine in the White Sea to hit a target in the Far East thousands of miles away, the navy said.
The Dmitry Donskoi heavy strategic submarine fired the missile from underwater from northwestern Russia, sending it to the Kura testing site on the Kamchatka peninsula in the Pacific.
"The parameters of the trajectory worked as planned," the navy said in a statement. It gave no further detail, adding Navy Commander Vladimir Vysotsky "had thanked members of the state testing commission and noted the submarine crew's high skills".
The intercontinental Bulava missile is designed for Russia's new Borei (Arctic Wind) class nuclear submarines. The first submarine of this class, Yuri Dolgoruky, was launched in February.
In the past years, tests of Bulava have been a mixture of failure and success. The Kremlin touts Bulava as a unique weapon able to pierce any air defence.
Fri, Sep 19 12:41 AM
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia successfully tested its newest Bulava ballistic missile on Thursday, launching it from a nuclear submarine in the White Sea to hit a target in the Far East thousands of miles away, the navy said.
The Dmitry Donskoi heavy strategic submarine fired the missile from underwater from northwestern Russia, sending it to the Kura testing site on the Kamchatka peninsula in the Pacific.
"The parameters of the trajectory worked as planned," the navy said in a statement. It gave no further detail, adding Navy Commander Vladimir Vysotsky "had thanked members of the state testing commission and noted the submarine crew's high skills".
The intercontinental Bulava missile is designed for Russia's new Borei (Arctic Wind) class nuclear submarines. The first submarine of this class, Yuri Dolgoruky, was launched in February.
In the past years, tests of Bulava have been a mixture of failure and success. The Kremlin touts Bulava as a unique weapon able to pierce any air defence.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Russia to upgrade nuclear systems(BBC)
Russia sees the US missile defence in central Europe as a threat
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has announced plans to build a "guaranteed nuclear deterrent system", to be in place by 2020.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Russia to build missile defence shield and renew nuclear deterrence
(RIA/Reuters)
The Russian President has signalled a new arms deal with the US
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 833037.ece
Tony Halpin in Moscow
Russia is to build new space and missile defence shields and put its armed forces on permanent combat alert, President Medvedev announced yesterday.
In a sharp escalation of military rhetoric, Mr Medvedev ordered a wholesale renovation of Russia’s nuclear deterrence and told military chiefs to draw up plans to reorganise the armed forces by December.
He said that Russia must modernise its nuclear defences within eight years, including the creation of a “system of air and space defence”.
The announcement puts Russia in a new arms race with the United States, which has infuriated the Kremlin by seeking to establish an anti-missile shield in eastern Europe. The US argues that the shield is aimed at rogue states such as Iran, but Russia is convinced that its own security is threatened.
Russia sends warship to the Caribbean
Russia rattles sabre with arms sales to Iran
Mr Medvedev told military commanders that “all combat formations must be upgraded to the permanent readiness category” by 2020. He added that Russia would begin “mass production of warships, primarily nuclear cruisers carrying cruise missiles and multi-purpose submarines”.
“A guaranteed nuclear deterrent system for various military and political circumstances must be provided by 2020,” he said after attending military exercises in the southern Urals region of Orenburg.
Tensions with the West have soared to new levels since Russia’s war with Georgia last month. Mr Medvedev told army chiefs that the conflict showed that “a war can flare up suddenly and can be absolutely real”.
The military build-up was announced as Russia wages a struggle to prevent Georgia and Ukraine entering Nato. The military alliance is due to consider fresh applications from the two former Soviet satellites in December.
Russia also openly declared its ambition to rival the US in Latin America yesterday as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised to sell nuclear technology to Venezuela.
Mr Medvedev met Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez in Orenburg. Tthe Kremlin issued a statement calling their relations a “counterweight to US influence” and added that Venezuela sought “a widening of our presence in the region”.
“We are ready to consider opportunities for cooperating on the use of atomic energy,” Mr Putin told Mr Chavez during earlier talks in Moscow.
“Latin America is becoming a noticeable link in the whole chain of the emerging multipolar world. We will pay more and more attention to this area of our economic and foreign policy.”
The announcement of atomic assistance is certain to alarm Washington. Moscow has already angered the West by delivering enriched uranium to Iran for its Russian-built power station, amid fears that Tehran is secretly building a nuclear bomb.
Venezuela’s fiercely anti-American leader has long coveted his own nuclear energy programme, but insists that he has no desire to build an atomic bomb. He lavished praise on Mr Putin during his second visit to Russia in as many months.
“Today, like never before, all that you said on the multi-polar world becomes reality. Let us not lose time...The world is developing fast geopolitically,” Mr Chavez said.
The Kremlin despatched its nuclear-powered warship Peter the Great and a submarine destroyer, Admiral Chabanenko, to Venezuela on Monday for military exercises in the Caribbean, which is traditionally America’s backyard. It is Russia’s first naval mission to Latin America since the end of the Cold War.
The move was seen as a retort to the passage of American warships through the Black Sea to deliver aid to Georgia after the war. It came just days after Russian strategic nuclear bombers visited Venezuela for the first time, in what Mr Chavez described as a warning to the US.
Mr Medvedev said that the joint naval exercises between Russia and Venezuela would demonstrate “the strategic nature of our relations”. The Kremlin earlier announced that it was giving Venezuela a $1 billion loan to buy Russian weaponry.
Mr Chavez has already struck deals worth $4.4 billion since 2005 to buy jet fighters, tanks and 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles. The two countries also edged closer in energy relations after Russia’s Gazprom and Venezuela’s state-run oil company struck a deal to create an “oil and gas consortium”.
Venezuela is the ninth largest oil producer in the world and a major supplier to the US, while Russia is the second largest oil exporter and has a quarter of global gas reserves. Mr Chavez said that the joint venture would be “the biggest oil consortium on the planet”.
(RIA/Reuters)
The Russian President has signalled a new arms deal with the US
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 833037.ece
Tony Halpin in Moscow
Russia is to build new space and missile defence shields and put its armed forces on permanent combat alert, President Medvedev announced yesterday.
In a sharp escalation of military rhetoric, Mr Medvedev ordered a wholesale renovation of Russia’s nuclear deterrence and told military chiefs to draw up plans to reorganise the armed forces by December.
He said that Russia must modernise its nuclear defences within eight years, including the creation of a “system of air and space defence”.
The announcement puts Russia in a new arms race with the United States, which has infuriated the Kremlin by seeking to establish an anti-missile shield in eastern Europe. The US argues that the shield is aimed at rogue states such as Iran, but Russia is convinced that its own security is threatened.
Russia sends warship to the Caribbean
Russia rattles sabre with arms sales to Iran
Mr Medvedev told military commanders that “all combat formations must be upgraded to the permanent readiness category” by 2020. He added that Russia would begin “mass production of warships, primarily nuclear cruisers carrying cruise missiles and multi-purpose submarines”.
“A guaranteed nuclear deterrent system for various military and political circumstances must be provided by 2020,” he said after attending military exercises in the southern Urals region of Orenburg.
Tensions with the West have soared to new levels since Russia’s war with Georgia last month. Mr Medvedev told army chiefs that the conflict showed that “a war can flare up suddenly and can be absolutely real”.
The military build-up was announced as Russia wages a struggle to prevent Georgia and Ukraine entering Nato. The military alliance is due to consider fresh applications from the two former Soviet satellites in December.
Russia also openly declared its ambition to rival the US in Latin America yesterday as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised to sell nuclear technology to Venezuela.
Mr Medvedev met Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez in Orenburg. Tthe Kremlin issued a statement calling their relations a “counterweight to US influence” and added that Venezuela sought “a widening of our presence in the region”.
“We are ready to consider opportunities for cooperating on the use of atomic energy,” Mr Putin told Mr Chavez during earlier talks in Moscow.
“Latin America is becoming a noticeable link in the whole chain of the emerging multipolar world. We will pay more and more attention to this area of our economic and foreign policy.”
The announcement of atomic assistance is certain to alarm Washington. Moscow has already angered the West by delivering enriched uranium to Iran for its Russian-built power station, amid fears that Tehran is secretly building a nuclear bomb.
Venezuela’s fiercely anti-American leader has long coveted his own nuclear energy programme, but insists that he has no desire to build an atomic bomb. He lavished praise on Mr Putin during his second visit to Russia in as many months.
“Today, like never before, all that you said on the multi-polar world becomes reality. Let us not lose time...The world is developing fast geopolitically,” Mr Chavez said.
The Kremlin despatched its nuclear-powered warship Peter the Great and a submarine destroyer, Admiral Chabanenko, to Venezuela on Monday for military exercises in the Caribbean, which is traditionally America’s backyard. It is Russia’s first naval mission to Latin America since the end of the Cold War.
The move was seen as a retort to the passage of American warships through the Black Sea to deliver aid to Georgia after the war. It came just days after Russian strategic nuclear bombers visited Venezuela for the first time, in what Mr Chavez described as a warning to the US.
Mr Medvedev said that the joint naval exercises between Russia and Venezuela would demonstrate “the strategic nature of our relations”. The Kremlin earlier announced that it was giving Venezuela a $1 billion loan to buy Russian weaponry.
Mr Chavez has already struck deals worth $4.4 billion since 2005 to buy jet fighters, tanks and 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles. The two countries also edged closer in energy relations after Russia’s Gazprom and Venezuela’s state-run oil company struck a deal to create an “oil and gas consortium”.
Venezuela is the ninth largest oil producer in the world and a major supplier to the US, while Russia is the second largest oil exporter and has a quarter of global gas reserves. Mr Chavez said that the joint venture would be “the biggest oil consortium on the planet”.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID ... anguage=EN
Russia, India to Sign Arms Deals
New Delhi, Sep 26 (Prensa Latina) Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov will begin on Monday a three-day visit to India to attend the Intergovernmental Commission and seal several military contracts, sources reported here Friday.
During his stay in New Delhi to boost bilateral links in the military field, Serdyukov will renegotiate, with his Indian counterpart A.K. Antony, the cost for redesigning Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carriers.
Russia is at this moment India's main arms and military equipment supplier, ahead of France, Israel and United States.
Both ministers will also discuss plans for the joint development of a fifth generation of fighter planes and middle-size transportation aircraft and transfer of technology to produce T-90 tanks in India.
Russia, India to Sign Arms Deals
New Delhi, Sep 26 (Prensa Latina) Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov will begin on Monday a three-day visit to India to attend the Intergovernmental Commission and seal several military contracts, sources reported here Friday.
During his stay in New Delhi to boost bilateral links in the military field, Serdyukov will renegotiate, with his Indian counterpart A.K. Antony, the cost for redesigning Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carriers.
Russia is at this moment India's main arms and military equipment supplier, ahead of France, Israel and United States.
Both ministers will also discuss plans for the joint development of a fifth generation of fighter planes and middle-size transportation aircraft and transfer of technology to produce T-90 tanks in India.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Crucial Meeting of Indo-Russian Defence Cooperation body tomorrow
The Eighth Meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military- Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) to be held here tomorrow will cover a broad spectrum of issues including supply of defence systems, equipment upgrade, product and life cycle support for defence equipment of Russian origin. The Meeting will also discuss licensed and joint production, joint development and production of systems and platforms, interaction between the two armed forces and military technical cooperation.
The Russian Defence Minister Mr Anatoly Serdyukov is arriving here this evening, leading a high-powered military delegation, to take part in the Meeting. Mr Serdyukov will co-chair the Commission meeting with the Defence Minister Mr AK Antony. Mr Serdyukov is visiting India for the first time as the Russian Defence Minister. During his three-day stay in India, he would be visiting the Brah-Mos Aerospace Complex in the capital besides the Para Brigade of the Army in Agra.
IRIGC-MTC was established in 2000 with a view to strengthen our bilateral defence cooperation. India and Russia share long standing friendly relations. Since the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries in 2000, the two governments have steadily developed and strengthened bilateral cooperation covering a range of areas of which defence forms a significant component.
Sitanshu Kar
The Eighth Meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military- Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) to be held here tomorrow will cover a broad spectrum of issues including supply of defence systems, equipment upgrade, product and life cycle support for defence equipment of Russian origin. The Meeting will also discuss licensed and joint production, joint development and production of systems and platforms, interaction between the two armed forces and military technical cooperation.
The Russian Defence Minister Mr Anatoly Serdyukov is arriving here this evening, leading a high-powered military delegation, to take part in the Meeting. Mr Serdyukov will co-chair the Commission meeting with the Defence Minister Mr AK Antony. Mr Serdyukov is visiting India for the first time as the Russian Defence Minister. During his three-day stay in India, he would be visiting the Brah-Mos Aerospace Complex in the capital besides the Para Brigade of the Army in Agra.
IRIGC-MTC was established in 2000 with a view to strengthen our bilateral defence cooperation. India and Russia share long standing friendly relations. Since the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries in 2000, the two governments have steadily developed and strengthened bilateral cooperation covering a range of areas of which defence forms a significant component.
Sitanshu Kar
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
t-90 issue may still be unresolved unless ruskies paid extra for something else, 30 more mig29 will be discussed but not finalisedrenukb wrote:Crucial Meeting of Indo-Russian Defence Cooperation body tomorrow
The Eighth Meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military- Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) to be held here tomorrow will cover a broad spectrum of issues including supply of defence systems, equipment upgrade, product and life cycle support for defence equipment of Russian origin. The Meeting will also discuss licensed and joint production, joint development and production of systems and platforms, interaction between the two armed forces and military technical cooperation.
The Russian Defence Minister Mr Anatoly Serdyukov is arriving here this evening, leading a high-powered military delegation, to take part in the Meeting. Mr Serdyukov will co-chair the Commission meeting with the Defence Minister Mr AK Antony. Mr Serdyukov is visiting India for the first time as the Russian Defence Minister. During his three-day stay in India, he would be visiting the Brah-Mos Aerospace Complex in the capital besides the Para Brigade of the Army in Agra.
IRIGC-MTC was established in 2000 with a view to strengthen our bilateral defence cooperation. India and Russia share long standing friendly relations. Since the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries in 2000, the two governments have steadily developed and strengthened bilateral cooperation covering a range of areas of which defence forms a significant component.
Sitanshu Kar
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
India, Russia to iron out defence problems
NEW DELHI: Even as India and US get into a tight strategic clinch, both New Delhi and Moscow are keen to bring the heady romance of yesteryears back into their lives, especially in the military arena.
Defence minister A K Antony and his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov will hold high-level delegation meetings on Monday in a bid to resolve problems dogging ongoing mega military projects for Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, T-90S main-battle tanks, stealth frigates and missile destroyers. The eighth meeting of the Indo-Russian inter-governmental commission on military-technical cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) will also try to iron out differences on joint futuristic projects for the fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) and multi-role transport aircraft (MRTA).
That the long-standing Indo-Russian defence partnership, which saw India's military imports and tie-ups with Russia exceeding $35 billion since the 1960s, has run into rough weather is no longer a secret. India is now increasingly looking at US — apart from Israel and France — to procure high-tech weapons and platforms. But the fact also remains that Russia will continue to remain India's largest defence supplier for several years to come, with ongoing contracts and projects in the pipeline worth well over $15 billion.
"Russia is the only country with which we have such a commission (IRIGC-MTC)," said Antony, affirming that the Indo-Russian strategic partnership will continue to head north. The meeting will also pave the way for the eventual inking of the new pact for aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov's refit, which has caused bitter wrangling between the two sides.
As earlier reported by TOI, India may now have to pay as much as $2 billion more to get the 44,570-tonne carrier by end-2012, over and above the original $1.5 billion package deal of January 2004 for a fully-refurbished Gorshkov and 16 MiG-29Ks. Moreover, the defence ministry recently approved the Navy's case for acquisition of 29 more MiG-29Ks for Rs 5,380 crore.
India, of course, is upset with Russia for not sticking to delivery schedules, creating roadblocks in transfer of technology (ToT), jacking up costs midway through execution of agreements and failing to provide uninterrupted supply of spares. ToT problems, for instance, have dogged the indigenous manufacture of both the T-90S and the Sukhoi-30MKI projects despite Russia earning big bucks in the huge contracts.
Russia's delay in giving "full ToT" for India's plan to manufacture 1,000 T-90S tanks has taken place even after New Delhi first imported 310 of these tanks for over Rs 3,625 crore under a February 2001 contract, and then signed another Rs 4,900 crore contract in November 2007 to import 347 more tanks. The story of ToT delays and cost escalations is the same in the contracts for 230 Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, overall worth around $8.5 billion.
NEW DELHI: Even as India and US get into a tight strategic clinch, both New Delhi and Moscow are keen to bring the heady romance of yesteryears back into their lives, especially in the military arena.
Defence minister A K Antony and his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov will hold high-level delegation meetings on Monday in a bid to resolve problems dogging ongoing mega military projects for Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, T-90S main-battle tanks, stealth frigates and missile destroyers. The eighth meeting of the Indo-Russian inter-governmental commission on military-technical cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) will also try to iron out differences on joint futuristic projects for the fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) and multi-role transport aircraft (MRTA).
That the long-standing Indo-Russian defence partnership, which saw India's military imports and tie-ups with Russia exceeding $35 billion since the 1960s, has run into rough weather is no longer a secret. India is now increasingly looking at US — apart from Israel and France — to procure high-tech weapons and platforms. But the fact also remains that Russia will continue to remain India's largest defence supplier for several years to come, with ongoing contracts and projects in the pipeline worth well over $15 billion.
"Russia is the only country with which we have such a commission (IRIGC-MTC)," said Antony, affirming that the Indo-Russian strategic partnership will continue to head north. The meeting will also pave the way for the eventual inking of the new pact for aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov's refit, which has caused bitter wrangling between the two sides.
As earlier reported by TOI, India may now have to pay as much as $2 billion more to get the 44,570-tonne carrier by end-2012, over and above the original $1.5 billion package deal of January 2004 for a fully-refurbished Gorshkov and 16 MiG-29Ks. Moreover, the defence ministry recently approved the Navy's case for acquisition of 29 more MiG-29Ks for Rs 5,380 crore.
India, of course, is upset with Russia for not sticking to delivery schedules, creating roadblocks in transfer of technology (ToT), jacking up costs midway through execution of agreements and failing to provide uninterrupted supply of spares. ToT problems, for instance, have dogged the indigenous manufacture of both the T-90S and the Sukhoi-30MKI projects despite Russia earning big bucks in the huge contracts.
Russia's delay in giving "full ToT" for India's plan to manufacture 1,000 T-90S tanks has taken place even after New Delhi first imported 310 of these tanks for over Rs 3,625 crore under a February 2001 contract, and then signed another Rs 4,900 crore contract in November 2007 to import 347 more tanks. The story of ToT delays and cost escalations is the same in the contracts for 230 Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, overall worth around $8.5 billion.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
India, Russia to discuss increased military ties Monday
New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) India and Russia will discuss increased ties between their militaries at the eighth meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) here Monday.
Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony and his visiting Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov will co-chair the meeting. While this is Serdyukov’s maiden visit to India, the duo had met in Moscow during the seventh meeting of the Commission Oct 17-19 when the two countries had signed a landmark agreement on the joint development and production of a fifth generation fighter jet and a multi-role transport aircraft (MTA).
‘The meeting will cover a broad spectrum of issues including supply of defence systems, equipment upgrades, product and life-cycle support for defence equipment of Russian origin. Licensed and joint production, joint development and production of systems and platforms, interaction between the two armed forces and military technical cooperation will also be discussed,’ a defence official said Sunday.
The two sides will also hold delegation-level talks.
The main agenda during the talks will be the progress on developing the combat jet and the transport aircraft. Discussions are also likely to be held on the additional $1.2 billion has demanded for the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov that the Indian Navy has purchased for $1.5 billion
‘A memorandum regarding the co-development of the fighter aircraft is already in place. But modalities need to be discussed,’ another defence official said.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal Fali H. Major, told IANS in August that the fighter jets would be inducted by 2017.
During his three-day stay in India that began Sunday, Serdyukov would be visiting the BrahMos Aerospace Complex in the capital and the Indian Army’s Para Brigade at Agra.
IRIGC-MTC was established in 2000 during the visit here of then Russian president Vladimir Putin to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation. India and Russia are also in talks to extend their military cooperation beyond 2010.
New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) India and Russia will discuss increased ties between their militaries at the eighth meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) here Monday.
Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony and his visiting Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov will co-chair the meeting. While this is Serdyukov’s maiden visit to India, the duo had met in Moscow during the seventh meeting of the Commission Oct 17-19 when the two countries had signed a landmark agreement on the joint development and production of a fifth generation fighter jet and a multi-role transport aircraft (MTA).
‘The meeting will cover a broad spectrum of issues including supply of defence systems, equipment upgrades, product and life-cycle support for defence equipment of Russian origin. Licensed and joint production, joint development and production of systems and platforms, interaction between the two armed forces and military technical cooperation will also be discussed,’ a defence official said Sunday.
The two sides will also hold delegation-level talks.
The main agenda during the talks will be the progress on developing the combat jet and the transport aircraft. Discussions are also likely to be held on the additional $1.2 billion has demanded for the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov that the Indian Navy has purchased for $1.5 billion
‘A memorandum regarding the co-development of the fighter aircraft is already in place. But modalities need to be discussed,’ another defence official said.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal Fali H. Major, told IANS in August that the fighter jets would be inducted by 2017.
During his three-day stay in India that began Sunday, Serdyukov would be visiting the BrahMos Aerospace Complex in the capital and the Indian Army’s Para Brigade at Agra.
IRIGC-MTC was established in 2000 during the visit here of then Russian president Vladimir Putin to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation. India and Russia are also in talks to extend their military cooperation beyond 2010.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
So, its now 3.5B $ for the Gorshkov?As earlier reported by TOI, India may now have to pay as much as $2 billion more to get the 44,570-tonne carrier by end-2012, over and above the original $1.5 billion package deal of January 2004 for a fully-refurbished Gorshkov and 16 MiG-29Ks. Moreover, the defence ministry recently approved the Navy's case for acquisition of 29 more MiG-29Ks for Rs 5,380 crore.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Russia acts to secure Indian defence market
India, Russia extend military commission tenure till 2020
New Delhi, Sept 29 (PTI) India and Russia today decided to extend the tenure of an inter-governmental commission for military cooperation by another 10 years to 2020 and inched closer to resolving Gorshkov aircraft carrier price and T-90 tanks technology transfer issues.
New Delhi and Moscow also decided to form an apex body headed by the defence secretaries of the two countries to coordinate operation of several working groups for military cooperation.
"We have taken an in principle decision to extend the tenure of the Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) for Military and Technical Cooperation by another 10 years to 2020 from 2010, when the current Commission's 10-year term ends," Defence Minister A K Antony and his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov said at a joint press conference soon after their annual IGC meeting here.
"The apex body headed by the two defence secretaries will meet every six months to review the joint working groups' functioning and to sort out all issues concerning defence relations," Antony said.
The two Defence Ministers said Indo-Russian military relations have evolved over the years from "buyer-vendor" to "partners" for joint development of weapons and equipment. PTI
India to buy battle tanks from Russia, extends deal
By Bappa Majumdar
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will buy 347 T-90 battle tanks from Russia and build 1,000 more locally with Russian help, the defence minister said on Monday, as the two nations decided to iron out differences that had delayed several arms deals.
India, one of the world's biggest arms buyers and Russia, a long time supplier, also agreed to speed up delivery of an aircraft carrier that has been slated for delivery in 2012, a defence official said.
The announcement came after a meeting between Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and India's Defence Minister A.K. Antony, who said the two countries had also decided to extend a defence cooperation deal by another 10 years.
India is moving closer to the West in a challenge to traditional ally and supplier Russia. European and U.S. firms are bidding for India's $10 billion deal to buy 126 fighter jets, one of the biggest arms contracts in the world.
In 2004, India and Russia had signed a $1.6 billion deal to bring the Admiral Gorshkov to India by 2008. India may now have to pay an extra $1.2 billion for the carrier's refitting costs.
"The Indian side has considered the Russian demand for an escalation in price....the same has been considered and would be placed before the cabinet for consideration," Antony said in a statement on Monday.
India plans to spend $30 billion over the next four years to modernise its largely Soviet-era arms.
The two countries agreed to speed up pending projects, including delivery of Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, battle tanks, stealth frigates and missile destroyers, officials said.
While analysts say Russia was delaying
some arms deliveries because it was uneasy about India's growing ties with the United States and France to buy more weapons, India says Russia was still their tried and tested friend.
"A major part of our defence inventory is of Russian origin, and continues to remain so even now," Antony said.
The defence deal between the two countries is over $35 billion since they started a partnership in the 1960s, officials said.
India, Russia extend military commission tenure till 2020
New Delhi, Sept 29 (PTI) India and Russia today decided to extend the tenure of an inter-governmental commission for military cooperation by another 10 years to 2020 and inched closer to resolving Gorshkov aircraft carrier price and T-90 tanks technology transfer issues.
New Delhi and Moscow also decided to form an apex body headed by the defence secretaries of the two countries to coordinate operation of several working groups for military cooperation.
"We have taken an in principle decision to extend the tenure of the Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) for Military and Technical Cooperation by another 10 years to 2020 from 2010, when the current Commission's 10-year term ends," Defence Minister A K Antony and his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov said at a joint press conference soon after their annual IGC meeting here.
"The apex body headed by the two defence secretaries will meet every six months to review the joint working groups' functioning and to sort out all issues concerning defence relations," Antony said.
The two Defence Ministers said Indo-Russian military relations have evolved over the years from "buyer-vendor" to "partners" for joint development of weapons and equipment. PTI
India to buy battle tanks from Russia, extends deal
By Bappa Majumdar
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will buy 347 T-90 battle tanks from Russia and build 1,000 more locally with Russian help, the defence minister said on Monday, as the two nations decided to iron out differences that had delayed several arms deals.
India, one of the world's biggest arms buyers and Russia, a long time supplier, also agreed to speed up delivery of an aircraft carrier that has been slated for delivery in 2012, a defence official said.
The announcement came after a meeting between Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and India's Defence Minister A.K. Antony, who said the two countries had also decided to extend a defence cooperation deal by another 10 years.
India is moving closer to the West in a challenge to traditional ally and supplier Russia. European and U.S. firms are bidding for India's $10 billion deal to buy 126 fighter jets, one of the biggest arms contracts in the world.
In 2004, India and Russia had signed a $1.6 billion deal to bring the Admiral Gorshkov to India by 2008. India may now have to pay an extra $1.2 billion for the carrier's refitting costs.
"The Indian side has considered the Russian demand for an escalation in price....the same has been considered and would be placed before the cabinet for consideration," Antony said in a statement on Monday.
India plans to spend $30 billion over the next four years to modernise its largely Soviet-era arms.
The two countries agreed to speed up pending projects, including delivery of Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, battle tanks, stealth frigates and missile destroyers, officials said.
While analysts say Russia was delaying
some arms deliveries because it was uneasy about India's growing ties with the United States and France to buy more weapons, India says Russia was still their tried and tested friend."A major part of our defence inventory is of Russian origin, and continues to remain so even now," Antony said.
The defence deal between the two countries is over $35 billion since they started a partnership in the 1960s, officials said.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Medvedev: 47,000 people and 134 supervising bodies took part in the exercises.
http://www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2008 ... 6970.shtml
- Previous media report was 30,000 people planned for the exercises.
http://www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2008 ... 6970.shtml
- Previous media report was 30,000 people planned for the exercises.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Russia, India Prolonged Military Cooperation
Russia’s Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and his Indian counterpart Arakkaparambil Kurian Antony agreed in New Delhi yesterday to extend the program for Russia’s-Indian military and technical cooperation for another ten years, up to the year of 2020.
The parties decided to prolong the program during the eighth sitting of the intergovernmental commission for military and technical cooperation. Russia’s Defense Minister emphasized that the highlight would be joint development of weapons. In this respect, the most renowned project is the joint design and production of BrahMos cruise missile.
Apart from promoting new projects, Russia and India have to settle the problems generated by poor quality of supplied weapons and the breach of delivery dates.
In 2007, for instance, India rejected to accept diesel-electric submarine of Project 877EKM (Varshavyanka) due to the problems with Club-S missiles. They also turned down upgraded IL-38SD antisubmarine jets because of defects in the search and rescue system.
The lingering upgrade of heavy aircraft cruiser Admiral Gorshkov (Vikramaditya) at Sevmash shipyard was in the limelight yesterday. The respective contract was inked far back in 2004. Russia claimed around $1 billion in addition in late 2007, and India agreed to $600 million.
Serdyukov said that Russia had presented proposals for the increase in the work scope and the respective increase in the costs, while the Indian minister responded that those proposals had been considered.
What’s more, it is known that India will acquire additional consignment of MiG-29K deck fighters for Vikramaditya. The basic contract provided for deliveries of 16 MiG-29Ks, but specified the option for another 30 deck fighters. In the end, India decided to buy a fighter less. The contract budget is estimated at around $2 billion.
Russia’s Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and his Indian counterpart Arakkaparambil Kurian Antony agreed in New Delhi yesterday to extend the program for Russia’s-Indian military and technical cooperation for another ten years, up to the year of 2020.
The parties decided to prolong the program during the eighth sitting of the intergovernmental commission for military and technical cooperation. Russia’s Defense Minister emphasized that the highlight would be joint development of weapons. In this respect, the most renowned project is the joint design and production of BrahMos cruise missile.
Apart from promoting new projects, Russia and India have to settle the problems generated by poor quality of supplied weapons and the breach of delivery dates.
In 2007, for instance, India rejected to accept diesel-electric submarine of Project 877EKM (Varshavyanka) due to the problems with Club-S missiles. They also turned down upgraded IL-38SD antisubmarine jets because of defects in the search and rescue system.
The lingering upgrade of heavy aircraft cruiser Admiral Gorshkov (Vikramaditya) at Sevmash shipyard was in the limelight yesterday. The respective contract was inked far back in 2004. Russia claimed around $1 billion in addition in late 2007, and India agreed to $600 million.
Serdyukov said that Russia had presented proposals for the increase in the work scope and the respective increase in the costs, while the Indian minister responded that those proposals had been considered.
What’s more, it is known that India will acquire additional consignment of MiG-29K deck fighters for Vikramaditya. The basic contract provided for deliveries of 16 MiG-29Ks, but specified the option for another 30 deck fighters. In the end, India decided to buy a fighter less. The contract budget is estimated at around $2 billion.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
India, Russia to extend military cooperation
Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, Sept 29: India and Russia today decided to extend their military cooperation for another 10 years beyond 2010 and set up an apex body to give "proper focus" to the various working groups dealing with different defence-related issues.
The decisions were taken at the eighth meeting here of the India Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) on contentious issues relating to two big ticket military deals the two countries have inked.
These relate to the additional $1.2 billion Russia has demanded for the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier that India has purchased for $1.5 billion and the delays in the indigenous production of the T-90 main battle tank due to Moscow's refusal to transfer crucial technology.
"I am happy to say that we have taken a decision in principle to extend our military cooperation by another 10 years beyond 2010," defence minister Mr AK Antony said at a joint Press conference with his Russian counterpart Mr Anatoly Serdyukov after they had co-chaired the commission meeting.
"We are taking our relationship forward from that of a vendor-seller to areas of design, development, co-production and co-marketing of military hardware," Mr Antony added.
"Both of us want to strengthen our relationship to make it more dynamic and to expand to more areas," the minister maintained.
The two countries had also decided to not only stage more joint exercises but also to ramp up their scale, Mr Antony pointed out. On his part, Mr Serdyukov largely echoed Mr Antony's sentiments but was reticent when asked a question on when Russia would lease a nuclear submarine to India, a crucial step in testing the underwater-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile the two countries have jointly developed.
Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, Sept 29: India and Russia today decided to extend their military cooperation for another 10 years beyond 2010 and set up an apex body to give "proper focus" to the various working groups dealing with different defence-related issues.
The decisions were taken at the eighth meeting here of the India Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) on contentious issues relating to two big ticket military deals the two countries have inked.
These relate to the additional $1.2 billion Russia has demanded for the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier that India has purchased for $1.5 billion and the delays in the indigenous production of the T-90 main battle tank due to Moscow's refusal to transfer crucial technology.
"I am happy to say that we have taken a decision in principle to extend our military cooperation by another 10 years beyond 2010," defence minister Mr AK Antony said at a joint Press conference with his Russian counterpart Mr Anatoly Serdyukov after they had co-chaired the commission meeting.
"We are taking our relationship forward from that of a vendor-seller to areas of design, development, co-production and co-marketing of military hardware," Mr Antony added.
"Both of us want to strengthen our relationship to make it more dynamic and to expand to more areas," the minister maintained.
The two countries had also decided to not only stage more joint exercises but also to ramp up their scale, Mr Antony pointed out. On his part, Mr Serdyukov largely echoed Mr Antony's sentiments but was reticent when asked a question on when Russia would lease a nuclear submarine to India, a crucial step in testing the underwater-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile the two countries have jointly developed.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Center-2008 exercises with Medvedev video from Russian Army TV :
http://www.zvezdanews.ru/video/day_events/0021812/
http://www.zvezdanews.ru/video/day_events/0021812/
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
there's a russian naval ship on the way to intercept the pirates.
once it gets there, these fools will all be dead.
They think they are about to get a few million bucks in ransom. Little do they know they will soon eat lead and lots of it.
----------
Three Somali pirates have been killed in a shootout
Three Somali pirates have been killed in a shootout during arguments about what to do with a hijacked Ukrainian ship and its military cargo, accordin g to reports.
Pirates seized the ‘MV Faina’, which is carrying 33 tanks and ammunition, off the Somali coast and have demanded a $20 million ransom.
US navy ships are within sight of the boat, whose capture last week sparked highlighted the rampant piracy in one of the world’s busiest shipping areas.
Andrew Mwangura, of the East African Seafarers’ Assistance Programme, a local maritime group, said an argument broke out on Monday night among factions in the 50-strong pirate gang over whether to give in to international pressure to free the cargo and 20-man crew.
“There was a misunderstanding yesterday between the moderates and the radicals on board who do not want to listen to anyone,” said Mwangura, whose Kenya-based group is monitoring the saga via relatives of the crew and the pirates. “The moderates want to back-peddle. The Americans are close, so everyone is tense. There was a shootout and three of the pirates were shot dead.”
Last night a helicopter gunship joined a US navy destroyer off Somalia to monitor the pirates and there are unconfirmed reports of two other Western warships close to the captured Ukrainian ship. Russia said it was also sending a naval vessel from the Atlantic to Somalia.
once it gets there, these fools will all be dead.
They think they are about to get a few million bucks in ransom. Little do they know they will soon eat lead and lots of it.
----------
Three Somali pirates have been killed in a shootout
Three Somali pirates have been killed in a shootout during arguments about what to do with a hijacked Ukrainian ship and its military cargo, accordin g to reports.
Pirates seized the ‘MV Faina’, which is carrying 33 tanks and ammunition, off the Somali coast and have demanded a $20 million ransom.
US navy ships are within sight of the boat, whose capture last week sparked highlighted the rampant piracy in one of the world’s busiest shipping areas.
Andrew Mwangura, of the East African Seafarers’ Assistance Programme, a local maritime group, said an argument broke out on Monday night among factions in the 50-strong pirate gang over whether to give in to international pressure to free the cargo and 20-man crew.
“There was a misunderstanding yesterday between the moderates and the radicals on board who do not want to listen to anyone,” said Mwangura, whose Kenya-based group is monitoring the saga via relatives of the crew and the pirates. “The moderates want to back-peddle. The Americans are close, so everyone is tense. There was a shootout and three of the pirates were shot dead.”
Last night a helicopter gunship joined a US navy destroyer off Somalia to monitor the pirates and there are unconfirmed reports of two other Western warships close to the captured Ukrainian ship. Russia said it was also sending a naval vessel from the Atlantic to Somalia.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Defense chief says Russia does not export nuclear submarines
Asked to comment on media reports on alleged plans to export nuclear submarines, in particular to India, Anatoly Serdyukov said: "The press discusses lots of things. We do not export nuclear submarines."
-
Karan Dixit
- BRFite
- Posts: 1102
- Joined: 23 Mar 2007 02:43
- Location: Calcutta
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
MOSCOW, October 1 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will deliver an additional 18 Smerch multiple rocket launch systems to India, the state-run arms exporter said on Wednesday.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20081001/117357923.html
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20081001/117357923.html
-
Karan Dixit
- BRFite
- Posts: 1102
- Joined: 23 Mar 2007 02:43
- Location: Calcutta
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
LYUBERTSY, near Moscow. Oct 3 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian helicopter
company Kamov will bid to sell some of its helicopters to India via a
tender regarding the purchase of 197 light helicopters that has been
announced by that country, said Kamov's executive director, Roman
Chernyshov, on Friday.
http://www.interfax.com/3/433654/news.aspx
company Kamov will bid to sell some of its helicopters to India via a
tender regarding the purchase of 197 light helicopters that has been
announced by that country, said Kamov's executive director, Roman
Chernyshov, on Friday.
http://www.interfax.com/3/433654/news.aspx
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... refer=home
<snip>
For Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the financial crisis that is costing his government $200 billion may also provide an unexpected opportunity to expand his country's influence.
Rejected by its Western allies, Iceland yesterday said it was in talks to borrow 4 billion euros ($5.4 billion) from Russia to shore up its financial system. It would be the first time Russia has extended financial assistance to a NATO country.
``This is a case of using foreign aid to pursue geopolitical objectives,'' said Chris Weafer, chief strategist at UralSib Financial Corp. in Moscow. ``This is good economics because it shows Russia's in a strong financial position: it can afford to lend 4 billion euros to someone else.''
</snip>
Russia is now nibbling at the edges of NATO to return the favour of them poking around in it's sphere of influence. It will be interesting to watch how strategically India is able to expand it's influence once some our coffers swell.
<snip>
For Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the financial crisis that is costing his government $200 billion may also provide an unexpected opportunity to expand his country's influence.
Rejected by its Western allies, Iceland yesterday said it was in talks to borrow 4 billion euros ($5.4 billion) from Russia to shore up its financial system. It would be the first time Russia has extended financial assistance to a NATO country.
``This is a case of using foreign aid to pursue geopolitical objectives,'' said Chris Weafer, chief strategist at UralSib Financial Corp. in Moscow. ``This is good economics because it shows Russia's in a strong financial position: it can afford to lend 4 billion euros to someone else.''
</snip>
Russia is now nibbling at the edges of NATO to return the favour of them poking around in it's sphere of influence. It will be interesting to watch how strategically India is able to expand it's influence once some our coffers swell.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Oil price is going down. India and Unkil on best footing. Ruskie in search of stable friends after EU na-na on Georgia( even Burkina faso can apply). All this indicates that if we play our card well...............we can get that Aircraft carrier for free.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
'N-deal won't impede New Delhi-Moscow relationship'
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/00 ... 090921.htm
Moscow (PTI): Allaying Russian fears about India "falling in the lap" of the US after signing the nuclear deal with Washington, former Indian top officials said here it would not in anyway impede New Delhi-Moscow relationship.
Speaking at the seminar 'Russia and India in the Multipolar World', former National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra and former Foreign Secretary M K Rasgotra rubbished the Russian concerns and said that the deal was about opening of India's access to latest technology, otherwise banned by NPT.
Justifying India's move for closer ties with the US after the Soviet collapse and Russia seen as moving closer to Beijing, Brajesh Mishra said that this would not in anyway hurt Indo-Russian relations.
He, however, urged Russia to clear the problems in the bilateral defence relationship having a negative impact on the overall climate of political trust and come forward in the field of energy cooperation.
"With the emergence of at least 6 new powers including India and China the world has changed and we suggest to hold a new 'Bandung' between big powers to enact the mechanism of interaction as no rules of behaviour exist in the multi-polar world," Rasgotra, who is also former Chairman of the National Security Advisory Board, said summing up the discussions.
The seminar, which was jointly organised by the Institute for the US and Canadian Studies of the Russian Science Academy, Council for National Strategy and New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation, concluded its two-day brainstorming session to identify the global challenges and the role of India and Russia in the creation of a security architecture of a multi-polar world.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/00 ... 090921.htm
Moscow (PTI): Allaying Russian fears about India "falling in the lap" of the US after signing the nuclear deal with Washington, former Indian top officials said here it would not in anyway impede New Delhi-Moscow relationship.
Speaking at the seminar 'Russia and India in the Multipolar World', former National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra and former Foreign Secretary M K Rasgotra rubbished the Russian concerns and said that the deal was about opening of India's access to latest technology, otherwise banned by NPT.
Justifying India's move for closer ties with the US after the Soviet collapse and Russia seen as moving closer to Beijing, Brajesh Mishra said that this would not in anyway hurt Indo-Russian relations.
He, however, urged Russia to clear the problems in the bilateral defence relationship having a negative impact on the overall climate of political trust and come forward in the field of energy cooperation.
"With the emergence of at least 6 new powers including India and China the world has changed and we suggest to hold a new 'Bandung' between big powers to enact the mechanism of interaction as no rules of behaviour exist in the multi-polar world," Rasgotra, who is also former Chairman of the National Security Advisory Board, said summing up the discussions.
The seminar, which was jointly organised by the Institute for the US and Canadian Studies of the Russian Science Academy, Council for National Strategy and New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation, concluded its two-day brainstorming session to identify the global challenges and the role of India and Russia in the creation of a security architecture of a multi-polar world.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
From UPI.com
India puts Russia ahead of U.S. for arms imports
WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. President George W. Bush will leave office in January seeing India's famous special relationship with a global thermonuclear power stronger than ever. The only trouble is, India's ever-closer alliance is not with the United States, but with Russia.
This basic fact of global and Asian geopolitical life is widely and openly reported in the Russian and Indian press, yet somehow it never filters through to the American media. Yet the pattern of arms deals over the last year of Bush's administration leaves no room for conjecture on that score.
U.S. companies, led by Boeing, tried to make major inroads into the Indian air force's hungry demand for hundreds of air superiority fighters. They didn't even get a look-in. India has committed itself to more deals to buy cheap and excellent Sukhoi combat aircraft for its air force.
The refurbishing of the old Soviet-era Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov is years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget. Yet the Kremlin announced in September it had won India's agreement to restructure the deal so that it could still deliver the Gorshkov years behind schedule in 2012. And the carrier will not be equipped with excellent U.S. F-18 fighters but with certainly formidable Russian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29K Fulcrum-Ds.
Indeed, RIA Novosti reported Sept. 24 that negotiations were scheduled to commence soon selling extra MiG-29Ks, according to the president of Russia's giant United Aircraft Corp.
RIA Novosti noted that Russia and India initially agreed in January 2004 on New Delhi's purchase of 12 single-seat MiG-29K and four two-seat MiG-29KUB to be handed over by 2009 for operational use on the Admiral Gorshkov with the prospect of India buying another 30 of them by 2015.
"The negotiations on the Admiral Gorshkov delivery will end sooner or later, and we hope in the near future to start talks on additional delivery of MiG-29K fighters to India," UAC chief Alexey Fyodorov stated, according to the report.
What is striking is that Indian political and military leaders are prepared to hold their breath and wait out even further unscheduled delays in receiving the Gorshkov. The same RIA Novosti report actually cited the head of Russia's state technology corporation, Sergei Chemezov, as warning the carrier would be delivered on its revised and extended schedule.
"The evaluation of additional work on Admiral Gorshkov modernization has not been done yet, and it is too early to hold talks on the completion," he was quoted as stating.
RIA Novosti noted that the final bill for the long refit of the carrier will be almost double the original price Russia's Sevmash shipyard promised: $2.7 billion instead of the original $1.5 billion. India is still trying to get that price tag reduced.
The real story behind the long, complicated and often remarkably bitter bickering over the Gorshkov is that, despite all the Russians' delays and increased charges, India is remaining loyal to its old ally in the purchase of the carrier and the aircraft to be deployed on it.
The same pattern can be found in India's purchases over the past year of more than 300 T-90S Main Battle Tanks from Russia and its willingness to massively expand joint production of different marks of the BrahMos Russian-Indian supersonic cruise missile.
India is only willing to engage with the United States to a limited degree, to get as much U.S. advanced technology as possible. But the nation's fundamental strategic loyalty and its main source of arms imports remain Russia -- and that is not going to change in the foreseeable future.
India puts Russia ahead of U.S. for arms imports
WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. President George W. Bush will leave office in January seeing India's famous special relationship with a global thermonuclear power stronger than ever. The only trouble is, India's ever-closer alliance is not with the United States, but with Russia.
This basic fact of global and Asian geopolitical life is widely and openly reported in the Russian and Indian press, yet somehow it never filters through to the American media. Yet the pattern of arms deals over the last year of Bush's administration leaves no room for conjecture on that score.
U.S. companies, led by Boeing, tried to make major inroads into the Indian air force's hungry demand for hundreds of air superiority fighters. They didn't even get a look-in. India has committed itself to more deals to buy cheap and excellent Sukhoi combat aircraft for its air force.
The refurbishing of the old Soviet-era Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov is years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget. Yet the Kremlin announced in September it had won India's agreement to restructure the deal so that it could still deliver the Gorshkov years behind schedule in 2012. And the carrier will not be equipped with excellent U.S. F-18 fighters but with certainly formidable Russian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29K Fulcrum-Ds.
Indeed, RIA Novosti reported Sept. 24 that negotiations were scheduled to commence soon selling extra MiG-29Ks, according to the president of Russia's giant United Aircraft Corp.
RIA Novosti noted that Russia and India initially agreed in January 2004 on New Delhi's purchase of 12 single-seat MiG-29K and four two-seat MiG-29KUB to be handed over by 2009 for operational use on the Admiral Gorshkov with the prospect of India buying another 30 of them by 2015.
"The negotiations on the Admiral Gorshkov delivery will end sooner or later, and we hope in the near future to start talks on additional delivery of MiG-29K fighters to India," UAC chief Alexey Fyodorov stated, according to the report.
What is striking is that Indian political and military leaders are prepared to hold their breath and wait out even further unscheduled delays in receiving the Gorshkov. The same RIA Novosti report actually cited the head of Russia's state technology corporation, Sergei Chemezov, as warning the carrier would be delivered on its revised and extended schedule.
"The evaluation of additional work on Admiral Gorshkov modernization has not been done yet, and it is too early to hold talks on the completion," he was quoted as stating.
RIA Novosti noted that the final bill for the long refit of the carrier will be almost double the original price Russia's Sevmash shipyard promised: $2.7 billion instead of the original $1.5 billion. India is still trying to get that price tag reduced.
The real story behind the long, complicated and often remarkably bitter bickering over the Gorshkov is that, despite all the Russians' delays and increased charges, India is remaining loyal to its old ally in the purchase of the carrier and the aircraft to be deployed on it.
The same pattern can be found in India's purchases over the past year of more than 300 T-90S Main Battle Tanks from Russia and its willingness to massively expand joint production of different marks of the BrahMos Russian-Indian supersonic cruise missile.
India is only willing to engage with the United States to a limited degree, to get as much U.S. advanced technology as possible. But the nation's fundamental strategic loyalty and its main source of arms imports remain Russia -- and that is not going to change in the foreseeable future.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Russians neighbour China and China has a boundary with India.
This is not going to change. Both India and Russia have their own apprehensions against China.
So, Russia and India will always be close friends as both need one another.
This is not going to change. Both India and Russia have their own apprehensions against China.
So, Russia and India will always be close friends as both need one another.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Why are american interests surprised that India is not buying any arms from them, when it is the americans who insert odious clauses that demand inspection of stuff they have already sold to India? If they create laws and regulations that is not to India's liking, why all this feigned suprise and hurt when India does not bite?
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
India to Buy Battle Tanks From Russia
By BAPPA MAJUMDAR
http://www.indiajournal.com/pages/event.php?id=4743
NEW DELHI - India will buy 347 T-90 battle tanks from Russia and build 1,000 more locally with Russian help, the defense minister said on Sept 29, as the two nations decided to iron out differences that had delayed several arms deals.
India, one of the world’s biggest arms buyers and Russia, a long time supplier, also agreed to speed up delivery of an aircraft carrier that has been slated for delivery in 2012, a defense official said.
The announcement came after a meeting between Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and India’s Defense Minister A.K. Antony, who said the two countries had also decided to extend a defense cooperation deal by another 10 years.
India is moving closer to the West in a challenge to traditional ally and supplier Russia. European and U.S. firms are bidding for India’s $10 billion deal to buy 126 fighter jets, one of the biggest arms contracts in the world.
In 2004, India and Russia had signed a $1.6 billion deal to bring the Admiral Gorshkov to India by 2008. India may now have to pay an extra $1.2 billion for the carrier’s refitting costs.
“The Indian side has considered the Russian demand for an escalation in price....the same has been considered and would be placed before the cabinet for consideration,” Antony said in a statement on Sept 29.
India plans to spend $30 billion over the next four years to modernize its largely Soviet-era arms.
The two countries agreed to speed up pending projects, including delivery of Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, battle tanks, stealth frigates and missile destroyers, officials said.
While analysts say Russia was delaying some arms deliveries because it was uneasy about India’s growing ties with the United States and France to buy more weapons, India says Russia was still their tried and tested friend.
“A major part of our defense inventory is of Russian origin, and continues to remain so even now,” Antony said.
The defense deal between the two countries is over $35 billion since they started a partnership in the 1960s, officials said. (Reuters)
By BAPPA MAJUMDAR
http://www.indiajournal.com/pages/event.php?id=4743
NEW DELHI - India will buy 347 T-90 battle tanks from Russia and build 1,000 more locally with Russian help, the defense minister said on Sept 29, as the two nations decided to iron out differences that had delayed several arms deals.
India, one of the world’s biggest arms buyers and Russia, a long time supplier, also agreed to speed up delivery of an aircraft carrier that has been slated for delivery in 2012, a defense official said.
The announcement came after a meeting between Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and India’s Defense Minister A.K. Antony, who said the two countries had also decided to extend a defense cooperation deal by another 10 years.
India is moving closer to the West in a challenge to traditional ally and supplier Russia. European and U.S. firms are bidding for India’s $10 billion deal to buy 126 fighter jets, one of the biggest arms contracts in the world.
In 2004, India and Russia had signed a $1.6 billion deal to bring the Admiral Gorshkov to India by 2008. India may now have to pay an extra $1.2 billion for the carrier’s refitting costs.
“The Indian side has considered the Russian demand for an escalation in price....the same has been considered and would be placed before the cabinet for consideration,” Antony said in a statement on Sept 29.
India plans to spend $30 billion over the next four years to modernize its largely Soviet-era arms.
The two countries agreed to speed up pending projects, including delivery of Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, battle tanks, stealth frigates and missile destroyers, officials said.
While analysts say Russia was delaying some arms deliveries because it was uneasy about India’s growing ties with the United States and France to buy more weapons, India says Russia was still their tried and tested friend.
“A major part of our defense inventory is of Russian origin, and continues to remain so even now,” Antony said.
The defense deal between the two countries is over $35 billion since they started a partnership in the 1960s, officials said. (Reuters)
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Russia test-fires ballistic missile to mid-Pacific
By Oleg Shchedrov
MURMANSK, Russia (Reuters) - Russia test-launched a strategic missile to the equatorial part of the Pacific Ocean for the first time on Saturday, at a time when Moscow's growing assertiveness is fuelling tension with the West.
President Dmitry Medvedev, who watched the launch from the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, has said problems caused by global financial turmoil would not hurt Russian plans to revive its armed forces, a symbol for Moscow's resurgence.
Russia's newest missile, the Sineva, was launched by the nuclear-powered submarine Tula from an underwater position in the Arctic Barents Sea, and hit an unspecified area near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, a navy spokesman said.
"For the first time in the history of the Russian Navy the target of the missile was in an equatorial part of the Pacific Ocean rather than the Kura testing ground on the Kamchatka Peninsula," he said.
Russian television showed the missile emerging from the icy waters of the Arctic Barents sea for the 11,547 km (7,200 miles) journey to the Pacific.
"Not one missile of this class has ever flown so far," Russian television showed Medvedev telling sailors.
The spokesman did not specify the area where the missile landed. He said the area was closed for navigation and flights ahead of the test in accordance with international rules.
Medvedev's predecessor Vladimir Putin focused on reviving the armed forces, which were neglected for around 10 years after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Russia's strategic bombers have restarted regular patrols over the Atlantic Ocean, irking NATO, and a group of the Northern Fleet ships is on its way to the Caribbean to take part in joint exercises with U.S. foe Venezuela. Two Russian warships and their support vessels docked in Tripoli ahead of making the trans-atlantic trip.
MODERNISE FORCES
Russia's commitment to modernise its armed forces has grown as its ties with the West reached their lowest point since the Cold War after Russian troops crushed Georgia's attempt to retake a pro-Moscow separatist region.
On Saturday, Medvedev said Russia would start building aircraft carriers, a type of vessel once derided by the Soviet military as an instrument of imperialism unbecoming of Moscow's defensive military posture.
He said Russia should "not scrimp" on its armed forced and called for government spending to improve living condition for its armed forces as well as new weapons systems.
Russia, which saw eight years of strong economic growth under Putin, has adopted the goal of becoming one of the world's leading economies by 2020. Medvedev says the economy has enough resources to survive the global turmoil and achieve its goals.
Putin, now Russia's prime minister, has said the next year's budges will see another 30-percent growth in defence spending.
The Sineva missile, advertised by the Russia military as an element of a new generation of Russian strategic weapons capable of surpassing any missile defence system, was commissioned last year. The Russian military says the missiles of Sineva's class will be operational at least until 2030.
Medvedev's appearance with the Northern Fleet in Murmansk is his second major visit to navy installations in just two weeks and he will oversee exercises attended by 5,000 troops, eight warships and five submarines.
By Oleg Shchedrov
MURMANSK, Russia (Reuters) - Russia test-launched a strategic missile to the equatorial part of the Pacific Ocean for the first time on Saturday, at a time when Moscow's growing assertiveness is fuelling tension with the West.
President Dmitry Medvedev, who watched the launch from the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, has said problems caused by global financial turmoil would not hurt Russian plans to revive its armed forces, a symbol for Moscow's resurgence.
Russia's newest missile, the Sineva, was launched by the nuclear-powered submarine Tula from an underwater position in the Arctic Barents Sea, and hit an unspecified area near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, a navy spokesman said.
"For the first time in the history of the Russian Navy the target of the missile was in an equatorial part of the Pacific Ocean rather than the Kura testing ground on the Kamchatka Peninsula," he said.
Russian television showed the missile emerging from the icy waters of the Arctic Barents sea for the 11,547 km (7,200 miles) journey to the Pacific.
"Not one missile of this class has ever flown so far," Russian television showed Medvedev telling sailors.
The spokesman did not specify the area where the missile landed. He said the area was closed for navigation and flights ahead of the test in accordance with international rules.
Medvedev's predecessor Vladimir Putin focused on reviving the armed forces, which were neglected for around 10 years after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Russia's strategic bombers have restarted regular patrols over the Atlantic Ocean, irking NATO, and a group of the Northern Fleet ships is on its way to the Caribbean to take part in joint exercises with U.S. foe Venezuela. Two Russian warships and their support vessels docked in Tripoli ahead of making the trans-atlantic trip.
MODERNISE FORCES
Russia's commitment to modernise its armed forces has grown as its ties with the West reached their lowest point since the Cold War after Russian troops crushed Georgia's attempt to retake a pro-Moscow separatist region.
On Saturday, Medvedev said Russia would start building aircraft carriers, a type of vessel once derided by the Soviet military as an instrument of imperialism unbecoming of Moscow's defensive military posture.
He said Russia should "not scrimp" on its armed forced and called for government spending to improve living condition for its armed forces as well as new weapons systems.
Russia, which saw eight years of strong economic growth under Putin, has adopted the goal of becoming one of the world's leading economies by 2020. Medvedev says the economy has enough resources to survive the global turmoil and achieve its goals.
Putin, now Russia's prime minister, has said the next year's budges will see another 30-percent growth in defence spending.
The Sineva missile, advertised by the Russia military as an element of a new generation of Russian strategic weapons capable of surpassing any missile defence system, was commissioned last year. The Russian military says the missiles of Sineva's class will be operational at least until 2030.
Medvedev's appearance with the Northern Fleet in Murmansk is his second major visit to navy installations in just two weeks and he will oversee exercises attended by 5,000 troops, eight warships and five submarines.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
The High North
The Arctic contest heats up
Oct 9th 2008 | OSLO
From The Economist print edition
What is Russia up to in the seas above Europe?
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
Russia's Lavrov to visit India on Sunday to discuss summit
16:18 | 17/ 10/ 2008
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20081017/117800565.html
HYDERABAD, October 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's foreign minister will travel to India late on Sunday to discuss arrangements for a bilateral summit, the Russian Embassy in New Dehli said on Friday.
Sergei Lavrov will discuss "all issues concerning arrangements for the summit" on Monday with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Minister-Counselor Andrei Sorokin said.
President Dmitry Medvedev will pay his first visit to India as Russia's head of state in early December.
The sides will discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, including a nuclear deal.
Russia and India are currently preparing to sign a bilateral nuclear agreement initialed in February 2008. Under the agreement, Russia will help build another four reactors at India's Kudankulam nuclear power plant, which so far has two. Further nuclear cooperation is also envisaged.
Atomstroyexport, Russia's nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly, has been building two reactors for the Kudankulam plant in the southern province of Tamil Nadu since 2002 in line with a 1988 deal between India and the then Soviet Union and an addendum signed 10 years later.
India earlier signed similar contracts with France and the United States.
The last Russian-Indian summit was held in November 2007, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Russia.
After visiting India, Lavrov will travel to Yerevan, Armenia's capital.
16:18 | 17/ 10/ 2008
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20081017/117800565.html
HYDERABAD, October 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's foreign minister will travel to India late on Sunday to discuss arrangements for a bilateral summit, the Russian Embassy in New Dehli said on Friday.
Sergei Lavrov will discuss "all issues concerning arrangements for the summit" on Monday with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Minister-Counselor Andrei Sorokin said.
President Dmitry Medvedev will pay his first visit to India as Russia's head of state in early December.
The sides will discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, including a nuclear deal.
Russia and India are currently preparing to sign a bilateral nuclear agreement initialed in February 2008. Under the agreement, Russia will help build another four reactors at India's Kudankulam nuclear power plant, which so far has two. Further nuclear cooperation is also envisaged.
Atomstroyexport, Russia's nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly, has been building two reactors for the Kudankulam plant in the southern province of Tamil Nadu since 2002 in line with a 1988 deal between India and the then Soviet Union and an addendum signed 10 years later.
India earlier signed similar contracts with France and the United States.
The last Russian-Indian summit was held in November 2007, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Russia.
After visiting India, Lavrov will travel to Yerevan, Armenia's capital.
Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis
How can Russia pay for its new weapons plans?
From http://www.upi.com/
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Russia is planning to boost its military spending to its highest levels since the height of the Cold War, but where is it going to get the money to pay for it?
Former Defense Minister and current Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, Russian Prime Minister and former President Vladimir Putin's trusted right-hand man in reviving the Russian military over the past eight years, announced Thursday that the Kremlin's military budget would be boosted to $50 billion next year.
"This is the total aggregate amount -- 1.3 trillion rubles -- for 2009. I hope that the State Duma will approve this sum in its second reading tomorrow (Friday)," Ivanov stated, RIA Novosti reported.
Ivanov, revealingly, said the increase would be greater than the one originally planned because military needs had been reviewed following the initial assessment of the Russian armed forces' performance in their successful operations in the former Soviet republic of Georgia in the Caucasus in August.
The Russian army overran one-third of mountainous and heavily forested Georgia in only five days from Aug. 8 to 12. However, reports in the Russian press have said the army's communications and command and control systems were very weak, and the Russian air force sustained unexpected losses from U.S-supplied anti-aircraft systems that the Georgians operated.
As a result, Ivanov said, the 2009 defense budget would be increased by 60 billion rubles ($2.3 billion) "in addition to the 20 billion rubles allocated for the establishment of two new military bases in South Ossetia and Abkhazia."
Ivanov made the statement after meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Gorki outside Moscow. Medvedev agreed that the defense budget was essential, the RIA Novosti report said.
The latest report follows a report earlier this month that Russia was already going to expand its defense spending by almost 50 percent over the next three years, a senior legislator in Moscow said, even before Ivanov's comments.
"According to a draft federal budget for 2009-2011, expenditure on national defense will increase in 2009 by 25.7 percent from 1.02 trillion rubles ($40 billion) to 1.28 trillion rubles ($51.3 billion) and would account for 14 percent of total budget spending," said Viktor Zavarzin, chairman of the Defense Committee in Russia's lower house of Parliament, RIA Novosti reported.
By 2011 Russia's total defense budget would have expanded by a total of 45.6 percent compared with current levels, he concluded.
Zavarzin said much of the money would go toward increasing the pay and boosting the standard of living of serving troops.
These spending plans, however, have been announced just as the U.S. and European financial crisis and the recession woes now looming over the U.S. economy have sent global oil prices -- along with natural gas exports, Russia's main source of income -- into a disastrous global spiral.
Global oil prices peaked at an unprecedented $147 a barrel in July. On Thursday they spiraled down to below $70 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
This global oil price collapse, therefore, has slashed the income Russian planners expected to fund their massive arms forces renewal and increase by 50 percent.
Will Russia be forced, therefore, to scrap its armed forces renewal and expansion plans? Or will it succeed in finding new ways to pay for them?
--
From http://www.upi.com/
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Russia is planning to boost its military spending to its highest levels since the height of the Cold War, but where is it going to get the money to pay for it?
Former Defense Minister and current Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, Russian Prime Minister and former President Vladimir Putin's trusted right-hand man in reviving the Russian military over the past eight years, announced Thursday that the Kremlin's military budget would be boosted to $50 billion next year.
"This is the total aggregate amount -- 1.3 trillion rubles -- for 2009. I hope that the State Duma will approve this sum in its second reading tomorrow (Friday)," Ivanov stated, RIA Novosti reported.
Ivanov, revealingly, said the increase would be greater than the one originally planned because military needs had been reviewed following the initial assessment of the Russian armed forces' performance in their successful operations in the former Soviet republic of Georgia in the Caucasus in August.
The Russian army overran one-third of mountainous and heavily forested Georgia in only five days from Aug. 8 to 12. However, reports in the Russian press have said the army's communications and command and control systems were very weak, and the Russian air force sustained unexpected losses from U.S-supplied anti-aircraft systems that the Georgians operated.
As a result, Ivanov said, the 2009 defense budget would be increased by 60 billion rubles ($2.3 billion) "in addition to the 20 billion rubles allocated for the establishment of two new military bases in South Ossetia and Abkhazia."
Ivanov made the statement after meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Gorki outside Moscow. Medvedev agreed that the defense budget was essential, the RIA Novosti report said.
The latest report follows a report earlier this month that Russia was already going to expand its defense spending by almost 50 percent over the next three years, a senior legislator in Moscow said, even before Ivanov's comments.
"According to a draft federal budget for 2009-2011, expenditure on national defense will increase in 2009 by 25.7 percent from 1.02 trillion rubles ($40 billion) to 1.28 trillion rubles ($51.3 billion) and would account for 14 percent of total budget spending," said Viktor Zavarzin, chairman of the Defense Committee in Russia's lower house of Parliament, RIA Novosti reported.
By 2011 Russia's total defense budget would have expanded by a total of 45.6 percent compared with current levels, he concluded.
Zavarzin said much of the money would go toward increasing the pay and boosting the standard of living of serving troops.
These spending plans, however, have been announced just as the U.S. and European financial crisis and the recession woes now looming over the U.S. economy have sent global oil prices -- along with natural gas exports, Russia's main source of income -- into a disastrous global spiral.
Global oil prices peaked at an unprecedented $147 a barrel in July. On Thursday they spiraled down to below $70 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
This global oil price collapse, therefore, has slashed the income Russian planners expected to fund their massive arms forces renewal and increase by 50 percent.
Will Russia be forced, therefore, to scrap its armed forces renewal and expansion plans? Or will it succeed in finding new ways to pay for them?
--