WORLD AIR WAR HISTORY


 
  India   Indian Air Force (IAF) • Bharatiya Vayu Sena (BVS) • भारतीय वायु सेना
Republic of India (Bharatiya Ganarajya / Bhārat Ganarājya)

Indian Air Force  •  Naval Air Arm  •  Army Aviation & AD  •  Coast Guard Aviation  •  Border Guard Aviation  •  Police Aviation  •   • 
AF NEWS  •  AF HISTORY

No Middlemen in Military Contracts: Russia

No Middlemen in Military Contracts: Russia

Asserting that middlemen in defence deals provide "extra potential" for corruption, Russia, one of India's biggest defence partners, has said there should be no role for such people when military contracts are being negotiated and signed.

The remarks by Russia came amidst a ranging controversy over alleged kickbacks and role of middlemen in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP helicopter deal with an Italian firm Finmeccanica.

"In such important fields, that is technical and military cooperation, no mediators (should be there) because any mediator provides extra potential for corruption," Valentina Matvienko, chairperson of the Federation Council, Russian parliament's upper house, said here.

She was replying to a question about role of middlemen and Italy's three-time former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi comments that bribes are a necessary part of doing business globally.

Maintaining that India-Russia defence deals are clean, Russia's highest-ranking female politician said, "During the last 10 years, luckily, we did not see any case of corruption".

"All this cooperation is based on inter-governmental agreements. So no mediators here can be present. It is performed directly through governmental structures that are empowered to do so in the field of military and technical cooperation," she said.

"So that is why it should be done directly on the level of two countries," Matvienko, who is a close ally of Russian President Vladmir Putin, said.

In 2012, Russia's total military exports hit a record sum of USD 15 billion. The biggest importer of Russian military equipment is India, which bought 350 T-90S tanks and ordered another 1,500.

India is also operating 150 modern Su-30MKI multirole fighter planes. The target is to have 270 Su-30MKI multirole fighters by 2015-16.

During Putin's visit here in December, a contract was signed for another 42 such fighters aircraft, to be delivered as assembly kits that India will assemble in its own factories.

Moreover, Russia is building a fifth-generation aircraft with India, as well as the BrahMos supersonic anti-ship missile.

In addition, the modernisation of the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya is being undertaken by Russia for the Indian Navy.

However, despite a long history of defence ties, new players in the Indian defence arena are offering a competition to Russia.

Russia had lost the bids for supply of multirole fighter planes, helicopter gunships and heavy-lift helicopters.

"The military cooperation between the two countries is indeed important in our relations. Though new exporters of military equipment appear in Indian market, Russia is still in the leading position," Matvienko said.

She said despite the growing competition, Russia has preserved its leading position.

"And that speaks for the trust in our relations on one hand. On the other hand, that speaks for competitiveness, high quality and good price for Russian equipments...

"We are looking for news forms of cooperation in military and technical fields. We are not selling only the ready-made equipments but we are looking for development of new technology through joint research programme, joint enterprises in order to produce new equipments," she said.


Source: New Delhi , (news.outlookindia.com) News – 1 March 2013

Photo: The Indian Air Force Su-30MKI multirole Fighter Aircraft (Photo by Files)

(1.03.2013)


 
EMPTY
EMPTY
India AF
Scheme
EMPTY
 

 
  CONTINENTAL NEWS:

American Air Force News
African Air Force News
Asian Air Force News
European Air Force News
Middle Eastern AF News
Ocean Air Force News


• Final C-17A Globemaster III Delivered to Indian Air Force

(25.12.2019)
Boeing delivered its final C-17A to the Indian Air Force on August 26 when the airlifter touched down at Hindon Air Force Station, Ghaziabad. ...>>

• IAF's Sukhoi Su-30 MKIs to take on French Air Force's Rafale jets during Garuda VI air exercise

(7.06.2019)
The Garuda VI air exercise in July 2019 will see IAF's frontline fighter Sukhoi Su-30 MKI taking on the Rafale multirole jets of the Armée de l'Air (French Air Force)....>>

• Indian Air Force to equip 40 Su-30 MKIs with BrahMos cruise missile in next 3 years

(3.06.2019)
"As for the plans, the serial production has been launched and rearmament will be carried out, as our Indian colleagues have promised on many occasions. About 40 planes as the firs...>>

• Lockheed Martin says F-21 won't be sold to Indian Air Force (IAF)

(13.05.2019)
US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin says it will not sell its newly rolled out F-21 fighter jet to any other country if India places an order for 114 planes, in an offer aimed at pi...>>

• Indian Air Force Gets Its First AH-64E (I) Apache Attack Helicopter At Boeing Plant In US

(12.05.2019)
IAF Boeing AH-64E (I) Apache Guardian is an advanced attack helicopter that can engage both air and ground targets with relative stealth using low-altitude obstacles like trees and...>>

• Indian Government Justifies Higher Cost of Locally-Developed Su-30s

(1.02.2019)
Disagreeing with the opposition's interpretation of an audit report that found that Su-30 fighter jets supplied to the Indian Air Force by the local firm HAL are costlier that thos...>>

 




       info@xairforces.net Webmaster: REFLX DESIGN - © 2011 xairforces / Aviation Society,