New Delhi, February 4
A protocol on military and technical cooperation between India and Russia and the lease of two nuclear submarines and two TU-22 long-range bombers will be high on the agenda during the four-day visit of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov, who reaches here tomorrow.
While an advance team of Russian Defence experts is already in Delhi to do the groundwork on the Defence procurements and Defence production, the deal for the leasing of the submarines and the TU-22 bombers is likely to be signed after the meeting of the Russian Deputy Prime Minister and the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes on Wednesday.
India and Russia are also likely to come to an agreement on the long pending acquisition of the aircraft carrier, Admiral Gorshkov.
Although Russia is ready to hand over the aircraft carrier free of cost to India but would take billions to do the re-fitment on it to make it water-worthy for present conditions.
There has however been a difference of opinion between the two countries over the cost of re-fitment as being demanded by Russia and as being offered by India.
Official sources said that Mr Klebanov, who is visiting New Delhi for the second time in less than six months, would also have wide-ranging talks with Indian leaders and co-chair the two-day meeting of the Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC).
Indo-Russian defence ties received a major boost in October 2000 when the two sides, during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India, signed a Defence agreement worth about $ three Billion U.S. Under the agreement, India will get T-72 tanks, Sukhoi aircraft as well aircraft carrier Admiral
Gorshkov.
Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha will chair the two-day IRIGC meeting from the Indian side.
A meeting of the Inter-Military Technical Group is also scheduled to be held between the two countries on February 8.
