Putin flies to India to boost ties

From Satinder Bindra,
CNN New Delhi bureau chief

NEW DELHI, India -- Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in India on Monday for a three-day state visit.

The two sides are expected to sign a dozen agreements, the most prominent among which will be the announcement of a strategic partnership.

But the visit will be dominated by defence ties between the two countries.

RESOURCES Changes in Russia India-Pakistan relations    VIDEO CNN's Satinder Bindra takes a look at the military relationship between India and Russia Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

India is spending billions more on defence as it emerges as a major force in Asia. This year alone, its defence budget increased 28 percent. Most of that money is being used to buy hardware -- from Russia.

Currently the Indian army -- the third largest in the world -- buys 70 percent of its weapons from Moscow, making defence a cornerstone of India-Russian ties.

"It is Russia that has stood by India in every military or other major political situation we have faced," said India's Defence Minister George Fernandes.

While many countries imposed economic sanctions after India exploded several underground nuclear devices in 1998, a cash-strapped Russia stood by India.

After China, India is now the largest buyer of military equipment from Moscow. Some analysts say Indian purchases keep dozens of Russian defence factories afloat in a country saddled with a $160 billion external debt.

But now some Indians are pressing their government to look for other arms suppliers after several Russian-built planes crashed.

Rahul Bedi, from Janes Defence Weekly, said: "The Indian air force has the highest accident rate in the world is because the Russian spares are very hard to come by.''

The recent accident of the Russian nuclear submarine, the Kursk, ignited a debate in India about the safety of Russian technology.

Still Fernandes says India will continue buying from Russia: "If one were to decide as to where to get one's weaponry from depending upon how many accidents or how many failures while testing one had, then one would never be able to buy from anybody.''

During President Putin's visit, India is expected to buy 140 MiG-29K fighter planes and ask for a licence to manufacture hundreds more in India.

Contracts are also likely to be signed for an aircraft carrier and 360 T-90 battle tanks.

All this equipment is worth more than three billion dollars, but India says compared to other suppliers like Britain and France, hardware from Russia is still the cheapest.

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Indian Government, Ministry of External Affairs
Russian Government
Jane's Defence Weekly

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