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Kamov 226 helicopters : First Indo-Russian partnership in defence manufacturing

by IBNS 25 Dec 2015, 07:49 am

Moscow, Dec 25 (IBNS) In the first partnership in defence manufacturing, India and Russia on Thursday signed agreement for a project for manufacture of Kamov 226 helicopters, reports said.

"The agreement on manufacture of Kamov 226 helicopter in India is the first project for a major defence platform under Make in India," the Prime Minister said during his joint address with Russia's President Vladimir Putin on the last day of his two-day visit to the country.

"The pace of our cooperation in nuclear energy is increasing. We are making progress on 12 Russian nuclear reactors at two sites," he added.

The Prime Minister visited Moscow for the India-Russia Summit - an event that is being held annually since 2000.  The partnership this year focused to intensify synergy on defence, trade, hydrocarbons and nuclear energy.  

On the economic front, it had been a "very good day," foreign secretary S Jaishankar said.

"We saw a lot agreements in the field of energy. Important agreement has been signed on solar plant as well... some of it was new. Some of it was building up," he added.

While attending a meet of business leaders from both nations, PM Modi invited Russian CEOs to invest in sectors like aerospace, infrastructure and diamond, and said his government has created a favourable environment to boost economic growth.

Pushing for upping economic ties, PM Modi and President Putin have agreed to institutionalise the CEO's Forum, with two meetings every year, one to be held in India and the other in Russia.

"As I look to the future, I see Russia as a significant partner in India's economic transfer and in shaping a balanced, multi-polar world," he said.