Russia keen on civil aircraft partnership with India – Moscow

The two countries are intensifying efforts to develop next-generation aircraft and engines, the Russian deputy trade minister has said

Russia is looking to partner with India for the manufacturing of civil aircraft, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Aleksey Gruzdev said at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Friday.

Both Moscow and New Delhi are intensifying efforts to develop next-generation aircraft and engines, Gruzdev said at the Russia-India business dialogue as part of the forum.

“We see strong complementarity in our approaches, which opens the door for deeper collaboration in civil aviation,” the deputy minister added. 

New Delhi and Moscow have also been in talks for collaboration in military aircraft.

Earlier this week, the ANI news agency said Russia is examining potential investment proposals to jointly manufacture the Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet in India.

India currently requires at least two squadrons of fifth-generation fighter aircraft, with the main candidates being the Su-57 and the American-made F-35.

India, however, told the US in February it was “not keen” on purchasing F-35 fighter jets, Bloomberg reported last month. While President Donald Trump had offered the aircraft during a White House visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, New Delhi said it prefers partnerships focused on joint design and manufacturing, according to the report. 

At the Eastern Economic Forum on Friday, Gruzdev also identified railway engineering as another promising field of partnership with India. This includes joint work on modernizing and building railway tracks, advancing digital systems, and supplying rolling stock. Russian companies are also ready to take into account the national policy of India to the “maximum extent and participate in the program for localization of products in cooperation with partners,” he added.

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