Russia claims to be an ally that stood by India in its `darkest hours’

With deals over $12 billion in hand, Moscow seems to be looking for wider defence ties with India, saying that Russia is not just a business partner but an "ally" who stood by India in its "darkest hours".

Russia last week signed a number of defence agreements with India, including leasing of a second nuclear submarine, and hopes to bag more projects from its perpetual ally.

Reports say, after last month's sabotage in which an Australian newspaper published technical details of the French submarine project in India (See: More Scorpene papers surface; sacked sub-contractor blamed), Russia is eying a multi-billion dollar deal for P75-I project of India under which six conventional submarines are to be built with Air Independent Propulsion systems.

Russia also hopes to secure another aircraft carrier project besides the deal to jointly develop a fifth generation fighter aircraft.

There is no limit to what India and Russia can do together, a top Russian defence official said, adding that neither the US nor the Europeans can match what Moscow can and has offered India.

"We are ready not just to deliver most serious weapons, most important weapons but continue to give our state of art technology," a PTI report quoting Sergei Chemezov, CEO of Rostec State Corporation, an umbrella organisation of 700 hi-tech civilian and military firms, as saying.

"Russia is a friend, an ally and not a business partner. Russia stood by India during its darkest hours. Next year will mark 70 years of our relationship. It is a long time," he said and noted that Russia had stood by India when it faced sanctions after the 1998 nuclear tests.

"And, in the recent past, when India was under sanctions, we were pretty much the only partner for India.

"Russia has been a partner not only in every day military supplies but also most sensitive and most important supplies, including a nuclear submarine which was rented to India for you to use," said Chemezov who is also a close aide of Russian President Vladmir Putin.

"Come to think about it, I would not imagine any other country to do that, he said. Not in the past or in the future. I cannot imagine US or Europe giving India such a strategic asset," he said when asked about the tough competition that US and Europe are giving to Russia in the Indian defence market.

He also pointed out that Russia not only leased out a nuclear powered submarine, but has also actively helped India in the building its own indigenous nuclear submarine, INS Arihant, which has been inducted into the Indian Navy.

"It is a very special year for us and will be marked by major projects and things are starting already," Chemezov said.

He, however, admitted that there has been some decline in Moscow's defence supplies to India and that US and some European countries have managed to strike mega deals with India which the Russians were also competing for.

"It is not a linear sort of relationship. We feel that ties are definitely developing and increasing," he said. But, he said, not only has Russia delivered high value equipment but has also collaborated with India on developing strategic assets.

He cited the example of the deadly BrahMos missile, adding that in the late 1990s, Russia had transferred technology for Su30 MKI, India's frontline fighter aircraft.

"At that point of time, it was our most modern equipment, our most modern plane. When we had actually signed that agreement, Russia did not even equip its air force with this. This was basically our newest highest technology. That shows and speaks about our relationship with India," he said.