Contracts for the supply to India and the organization of licensed production there of AK203 assault rifles and Igla-S portable anti-aircraft missile systems may be signed as early as December 6 within the framework of the Russian-Indian intergovernmental commission on military and military-technical cooperation. Russian Ambassador to India Nikolai Kudashev told Izvestia about this.

“As for the contracts for the organization of licensed production and the supply of AK203 assault rifles and Igla-S complexes here, they have been generally agreed upon. The Russian side is ready to sign them. It is not excluded that appropriate decisions on these and many other issues being worked out can be made following the results of the Russian-Indian intergovernmental commission on military and military-technical cooperation, scheduled for December 6, “the Russian diplomat noted.

Nikolai Kudashev approved that Russian-Indian military-technical cooperation is traditionally characterized by a high level of trust.

“Despite the tough and sometimes unfair competition from third countries, which do not hide an attempt to oust us from the local market for local products, we can record a positive dynamics in the development of cooperation in this,” the ambassador said.

The intergovernmental commission on the military-technical line will be held on the day of the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India. It is expected that following the summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 6, the leaders of the two countries will sign about 10 bilateral agreements not only in the field of military-technical cooperation, but also in the field of energy, space and culture.

Read more in an exclusive interview with Izvestia.