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World Defense & Security News - Russia & India
 
 
India and Russia close to sign deal for Ka-226T multirole helicopters
 
India intends to purchase Russian Ka-226T multirole helicopters, after which discussions will be held about their joint production in one of the South Asian republics, says an official report received by the Russian news agency TASS from the Indian Defense Ministry.
     
India and Russia close to sign deal for Ka 226T multirole helicopters 640 001Russian Helicopters Ka-226T light multirole helicopter
(Credit: Russian Helicopters)
     
"The Defense Procurement Council of India has approved the request for acquisition and subsequent coproduction of Ka-226T helicopters for the ground troops and air forces of India," the Defense Ministry specified. The number of helicopters India plans to acquire is not disclosed, but a TASS source, close to the Indian AF, mentioned "a possible initial order of roughly 50 machines."

"Initially it could be a total of 200 Ka-226T helicopters, including those acquired "off-the-shelf" and co-produced in India," he pointed out.

A proposal for co-production of Ka-226T was first discussed at the meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to New Delhi in December 2014. Back then the sides noted that the joint company could produce helicopters, including for export to third countries.

In late August 2015 a trilateral agreement was signed between Russia’s companies The Russian Helicopters and Rosoboronexport and their Indian partner, the private company Reliance Defense, for co-production of 200 Ka-226s. Appointed as the leading integrator of licensed production with the technology transfer from Russia was the Reliance Helicopters Joint Venture in which the Reliance is to get 51% of shares with the remaining 49% going to the Russian side.

The terms of the contract envision the transfer of all Ka-226T manufacture technologies to the Indian side and the production of at least half of the helicopters from the Indian-manufactured components.
     
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