India determined to be self-reliant in defense, trust in Russia helps Moscow "reign" in arms sales

On February 10, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh pledged that the country will promote the production and export of defense equipment in the coming years, while affirming that Russia remains a long-standing and reliable partner in this field.

Preparations ahead of Aero India 2025, at Yelahanka air base in Bengaluru, February 9. (Source: PTI)

Speaking at the Aero India 2025 exhibition, Singh said India's domestic defence production will reach over 1.25 trillion rupees ($14.24 billion) in the fiscal year ending next March, while defence exports will cross a record 210 billion rupees for the first time in the same period. He pledged that India would significantly increase these figures in the coming years.

India is currently the world's largest arms importer. At the Aero India exhibition, India's largest aviation exhibition, which opened on February 10 in Bengaluru, the southern state of Karnataka, New Delhi aimed to explore the possibility of cooperation in defense equipment production and seek military equipment deals worth billions of dollars.

Just before the exhibition, Minister Singh told reporters of Russia's TASS news agency that India considers Russia a long-standing and reliable partner in the defense sector.

Notably, according to the General Director of the Russian state arms export company Rosoboronexport, Mr. Alexander Mikheev on February 10, this country is the "leading country in terms of the volume of defense cooperation with India in the period 2015-2025, with the rate of military product supply exceeding 30%".

Russia is one of the top exhibitors at the annual Aero India show. This year, Russia's fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jet will perform demonstration flights at the annual event.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/an-do-quyet-tam-tu-luc-quoc-phong-niem-tin-vao-nga-giup-moscow-xung-vuong-trong-mang-ban-vu-khi-303787.html