India, Russia to ink transport aircraft JV agreement in Sep

Vinay Shukla
Zhukovski (Russia), Aug 19 (PTI) In line with the BrahMos
cruise missile project, India and Russia are expected to ink a
deal during Defence Minister A K Antony's Moscow visit next
month on setting up of a joint venture for production of
state-of-art multi-role transport aircraft (MTA) for their air
forces.

The "formal agreement" for floating the MTA JV is
expected to be signed in September during Antony's Moscow
visit for the session of Joint Commission on military-
technical cooperation, V Balakrishnan, General Manager of
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) aircraft manufacturing
division, said.

The Russian government has cleared the formalities for
the creation of 50-50 JV and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has
allocated funds for financing Russia's share, he told PTI on
the sidelines of the International Aero-space show 'MAKS-2009'
here.

From the Indian side HAL will hold 50 per cent equity in
the JV.

The inter-government agreement for the joint development
and production of MTA was inked in 2006 during the then
President Putin's India visit, as the air forces of both the
countries are seeking to replace their ageing Soviet-era
Antonov series transport aircraft.

Balakrishnan said IAF has evinced interest in acquiring
40 MTA aircraft for transporting troops, military hardware and
military cargo with option of buying more aircraft, while the
Russian air force has confirmed readiness to acquire 100
planes.

According to earlier reports under the USD 600 million
JV, a highly advanced transport aircraft with the capacity of
20 tonnes and capable of landing on any type of runway,
including in the high Himalayan altitudes, would be developed
on the basis of Ilyushin Il-214 aircraft.

HAL and Ilyushin are to co-design and develop the
aircraft. PTI VS
AM
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