January 2007 India-Russia Cooperation Agreements

As DID noted in our coverage of the FC-1/JF-17 program yesterday, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, during which a number of joint defense projects were discussed and agreements were signed. Items in the works reportedly include a “5th generation fighter” project, even as the MiG-29OVT/MiG-35 is touted as the likely winner of the multi-billion MRCA fighter contract. With respect to the agreements that were formally signed, DID has already covered them. Readers interested in more information can find DID’s coverage of MRTA transport aircraft. We also covered licensed production of RD-33 series 3 engines for India’s MiG-29 fleet; gthe recent agreement includes technical documents and licensing, as well as an accompanying general contract for initial supply of these engines and associated products. Finally, the two sides also signed the Protocol of the Sixth India-Russia Inter Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation, which is a broad framework agreement covering standard procedures and cooperation scope. There are reports that this agreement widens the framework to encompass non-defense strategic areas such as information technology and space research.