Russia ready to supply more helicopters for the Indian Navy

[sudhir007]

Russia ready to supply more helicopters for the Indian Navy | Russia & India Report

Ka-31 radar picket helicopter. Source: Russian Helicopters
Russia is ready to supply more helicopters for the Indian Navy, if it receives a request from the Indian side, the head of the biggest helicopter building company, Russian Helicopters, said on Tuesday.

“As for the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier, this will undoubtedly be a decision by the Indian side. The holding company (Russian Helicopters) will be ready to continue its program of deliveries to India under a contract with Rosoboronexport,” Alexander Mikheyev said.

India has a fleet of Kamov Ka-28 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters and Ka-31 radar picket helicopters, but many of the former are in need of an upgrade according to sources. “Correspondingly, if the Indian side will opt for these helicopters in the future, we are ready to meet this request,” Mikheyev added.

The INS Vikramaditya carries 6 Ka-28s and Ka-31s. When the aircraft carrier was handed over to the Indian Navy in November 2013, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin suggested that the two countries consider the possibility of setting up a joint venture to assemble Kamov helicopters in India. “We have a serious proposal for India which refers not only to purchases of Russian helicopters. Russia as India’s strategic partner proposes setting up a joint venture, including on India’s territory,” Rogozin said in November.

India at the moment has an urgent requirement for Ka-28s for its frigates, as many of the older helicopters are not believed to be in working condition. A deal is, however, not imminent. Defence procurements by India have more or less come to a standstill as the country’s general elections are in their last phase, with the results due on Friday, May 16. A decision on purchases of helicopters is only likely to be made in June after a new government is sworn in and functional, sources told RIR. There are also concerns about theKa-28 and Ka-31 helicopters in India since they are powered by Ukrainian engines, according to the sources.

 

[Indo-guy]

posted already since yesterday

Russia ready to continue helicopter deliveries for Indian Navy-Alexander Mikheyev

 

[RPK]

Kamov ready to supply seaborne helicopters to Indian Navy | Russia & India Report

The design bureau and Russian Helicopters offer to help the Indian Navy meet its shortage of helicopters by supplying Ka-52Ks.
Russia’s Kamov helicopter design bureau and Russian Helicopters are ready to jointly supply modern seaborne helicopters for the Indian Navy on request, Kamov Chief Designer Sergei Mikheyev said

“Upon request from the Indian Navy, we are ready to supply jointly with Russian Helicopters the necessary number of seaborne helicopters and offer the latest developments to the Indian side, including the Ka-52K helicopters,” Mikheyev said.


Helicopters operational in the Indian Navy and Coastal Guard have long grown obsolete over the absence of programs for the purchase of helicopters in the past decade, strict armament-buying procedures and the scandal-hit Augusta-Westland chopper deal,.

The deteriorating condition of helicopters prompted Indian Defence Minister Arun Jaitley to raise the issues at a session of the Defence Acquisition Council on July 19.

Many Indian warships equipped with two hangars have no helicopters on their board, India Today said. In particular, only three out of six Talwar-class frigates are supplied with choppers while others have none. The Indian Navy and Coastal Guard have only 20 percent of the required number of helicopters, according to the magazine’s website.

“The Indian Navy had to get 16 choppers as a direct replacement for Seaking 42A helicopters which came with the INS Viraat in 1987 and were decommissioned by the end of the century,” an Indian Ministry of Defence official told India Today. “Categorised as 'Multi Role Helicopter' acquisition, it is yet to take off even today.”


Kamov joint production in India

Last year, Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin had suggested that India consider a possibility of setting up a joint venture to assemble Kamov helicopters in India. “We have a serious proposal for India which refers not only to purchases of Russian helicopters, Rogozin had said on the sidelines of a ceremony when the INS Vikramaditya was handed over to India. “Russia as India’s strategic partner proposes setting up a joint venture, including on India’s territory.”

Sources tell RIR that this proposal was discussed as recently as June when high level defence talks held in New Delhi that were led by Indian Defence Secretary R K Mathur and Rostec Chief Executive Sergey Chemezov. The new government in New Delhi is eager to see such an idea come into fruition, the sources said.