(Repeating after correcting official's name)By Pradipta TapadarMoscow, Dec 7 (PTI) India should assure Russian companiesthat it will buy their India-made spares and not go forcheaper purchase from a third country to address its armedforces long grievance of delays in procuring critical defenceequipment from Moscow, a top Russian official has said.
Viktor N Kladov, director for international cooperationand regional policy, Rostec, a state-owned Russian defence andindustrial group, said Russia has chalked out a strategy tobuild technical service centres in India dedicated forspecific equipment.
"India has bought a lot of Soviet and Russian madedefence equipment and a bulk of these equipment requiresmodernisation, upgrade and repair and this can be done in thecountry (India).
"The way to address this problem is to set up facilitieswith our partners. We also need assurance from the Indian sidethat their products will be used by the end user," Kladov toldPTI here.
It has been a long-standing grievance of the Indian armedforces that supply of critical spares and equipment fromRussia takes a long-time, affecting maintenance of militarysystems procured from Moscow.
Terming it a "complicated issue", Kladov said Rostec wascooperating with Indian defence ministry to address theproblem and manufacturing company Russian Helicopters plans tocreate service in India on the principle of "one window",which will simplify and accelerate the work in this direction.
"This is a pilot project and India is the first countrywhere it is being implemented. India is interested in theimplementation of this project, as it is operating the largestfleet of Russian helicopters," he said.
Russia has been a major supplier of military platforms toIndia.
Kladov said Rostec companies were interested inincreasing the efficiency of after-sales service andsimplifying the procedures for supply of spare parts to India.
"About a year ago, the Government of Russia decided togrant the right to a number of major Russian defence industrycompanies to directly conduct after-sales service, repair andmodernisation of previously delivered military hardware.
"Now Russian Helicopters, United Engine Corporation,Techmash, Schwabe and High-Precision Weapons can directlyinteract with Indian customers on these issues," he said.
Kladov noted that the very sophisticated defenceequipment needed to be addressed in a specific workshop andlicensed parts and spares should be used and technology ofrepair should be controlled by the manufacturer and the chiefdesigner of the products.
"This is an issue which is both sided. And our rule is toprovide life time support for the equipment. Sometimes the enduser becomes opportunistic and its looking to buy spareselsewhere to make it cheaper. So they are outsourced in othercountries," he said.
Kladov said he had pointed out the concerns of theRussian companies regarding production of spares in India inhis recent meeting with an Indian minister.
He said the company was offered a space to set up afacility to produce components, spares for electronics,machinery, engines and helicopters in Maharashtra.
Kladov said Indian officials have told them that Russianmanufacturers to participate in international tender exerciseif they want to sell their products to the Indian armedforces.
"We will set up facilities and this can only be done ifthe Indian government assures that the Russian products willbe purchased," he said.
Speaking on the issue of India inching closer to the USand Israel in terms of defence deals and procurement, Kladovsaid he did not see it as a threat, but as a challenge forRussia as the market is becoming more competitive.
"We don't see it as a threat rather as a challenge. Itgives us thrust to do better and be more innovative andproactive. We don't fear competition. Let's look at thebroader picture, its industrial cooperation, strategic trustwhich gives us a cutting edge," he said.
Calling the relationship between India and Russia a"privileged strategic partnership", Kladov said it meant "wetrust our Indian partners with most sensitive defenceinventions and achievements".
"America has many competitive products to offer. It's forIndian government to choose. It's up for the Indian governmentto build up balances. I can only speak on behalf of theRussian side. We are firm friends and strategic partners ofthe Indian republic," he said. PTI PNT MRJ AKJMRJ.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.