Sunday, December 14, 2014

Modi's intellectual acumen woos Russia for defence sector

The strategic cooperation between India and Russia will upturn many sectors with a major thrust on the defence.  As much as twenty pacts of different magnitude in the sectors of oil, gas, defence and investment were inked and mutually exchanged between the top officials of both the countries in the presence of Modi and Putin recently.  From their smiling exchanges, it was evident that both the countries are determined to escalate their friendship to a new height and new scales.  As per the talks, Russia will build at least twelve nuclear reactors in India by 2035.  There is also an agreement to manufacture advanced helicopters to augment the modernism of the defence sector. This new strategic cooperation is outlined as a twenty first century vision of nuclear energy cooperation.  Modi in his speech recognized Russia’s strength in defence and has categorically termed them as our strength.  Over the many years, India has stabilized its friendship with Russia and the said friendship will now augment the modernization of defence and nuclear fields.  Modi has impressed upon Putin to consider the vast resources of intellectual manpower prevailing in India, low cost  of various resources and India’s tenacity to learn fast and all these plus factors will definitely a booming point for Russia to make India as a base to start manufacturing advanced and high technology oriented defence and nuclear equipment.  Modi has expressed his gratification and he is very jubilant that Russia has agreed to start manufacturing advanced helicopters in India. They have also principally agreed that these manufactured products on the combined efforts of India and Russia will be marketed in the world market.  These are the products meant for both civilian and military use.  Modi had a beaming meeting and exchanged pleasantries with Putin, which lasted for more than three hours. The nuclear reactors, which are going to be manufactured in India will be of very high standard and will follow the stringent safety norms and regulations.

As per the latest information, Russian companies are looking for a base in Gujarat where they want to set up units to manufacture defence equipment.  The Russian government controlled company Rostec & AK 47 famous gun maker Kalashnikov are scheduled to participate in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in January, 2015.  The key holding  companies of Rostec, which consist of the United Industrial Defense Corporation, Russian Electronics and Machine Engineering Technologies are the world renowned and giant companies in the manufacturing of multiple artillery rocket systems, advanced aviation bombing weapons and other defence products.  The strategic tie-up between Indian companies with these giants will open a floodgate to start manufacturing many other auxiliary defence components, which will be acted as an ancillary to the main units.   

Putin is very interested to enhance India’s image and has shown his personal interest in the “Make in India Campaign.”   For the past couple of months, both the countries have initiated a lot to make a big leap in the sector of defence by manufacturing various defence related equipment.  Modi has called Russia as India’s biggest defence partner.



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To support all these activities, a delegation of Gujarat government recently visited Moscow to organize a road show inviting all the leading companies to attend the same.  A few and very reputed companies are very keen to start manufacturing, defence equipment in India on an immediate basis to fructify this movement of defence and nuclear cooperation.
One thing is very sure that for these developments, Modi has to face the murmurings of the USA as they will not be definitely liking India’s proximity to Russia and more so for the nuclear cooperation. The nuclear field is a very sensitive issue and requires a lot of secrecy and treaty to be discussed and maintained. Once India will be moving with a great force to augment the growth of this sector with Russia, the Americans will not tolerate the supremacy of the combined power of India and Russia. If Modi is able to manage  the politics of  the domestic front and capable to control the inflation, in simpler terms, the price rise of the basic commodities and necessities, which is one of the main  perils of the common people, then he can blissfully concentrate on the international politics and will be able to counter the threat of Americans, if any.
As of now, Modi looks to be positive and firm to increase the cooperation of India and Russia in these sectors of defence and nuclear, to start with.



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