On March 24, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar affirmed that Russia is a country with which India has always had a positive relationship and both countries are very interested in each other's interests.
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| Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar. (Source: ANI) |
Speaking at a meeting with the Indian community in Singapore while on a visit to this Southeast Asian country, Mr. Jaishankar said that India should look at relations with Russia or any other country from its perspective.
NDTV quoted Foreign Minister Jaishankar as saying, by asking ourselves questions like “Did Russia help or harm us? At important times, has Russia contributed to or hindered India?...", he found the answer with his experience and opinion that New Delhi has always had a positive relationship with Moscow.
He emphasized: “Both countries are extremely concerned about each other's interests. So, in my opinion, we should have that trust when promoting this relationship."
Same day, according to the website Indian Defense Research Wing (IDRW), the Indian government has set an ambitious task for the domestic defense industry, which is to develop 5th generation fighter aircraft within the framework of the "Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft" Program. ” (AMCA).
Specifically, IDRW said that the first 40 aircraft of the AMCA MkI version will be equipped with GE-F414 engines manufactured by General Electric (USA), developed specifically for F/A-18E fighter aircraft. This is considered one of the most advanced engine lines manufactured by Western countries.
In the next phase of the AMCA MkII project, the Indian government plans to develop new engines with the participation of foreign partners.
GTRE Gas Turbine Research and Development Center under India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is looking for suitable candidates from the world's leading manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce, Safran and GE. .
It is expected that the decision to select a partner will be made in mid-2024 and the contract will be signed in the near future. The goal of the new engine is to achieve thrust in the range of 110-130 kN.
This engine will not only be used on 5th generation fighter aircraft, but also on the new TEDBF fighter aircraft operating on aircraft carriers and the upgraded Tejas MkII MLU light fighter aircraft.
However, IDRW note, an important aspect is the absence of Russia among potential partners in the development of new engines for AMCA, despite the rich experience of Russian specialists in the field of engine building.
According to the above military website, the lack of Russian partners may be due to India's desire not to worsen relations with the US, due to the trend of increasing military-technical cooperation between New Delhi and Washington.
