India announces arms deal with Russia

As Indian and Pakistani troops stage a tense stand-off along their common border, India's defense minister announced a major arms deal with Russia on Friday.

"We both considered the issues relating to bilateral military technical cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis," Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes said. "It is obvious to us that the new institution and framework for military technical cooperation between our countries that we created not so long ago has been an effective and productive one."

A Russian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov has been negotiating in New Delhi since Wednesday.

The deal includes India's purchase of long-range strategic bombers, the continued shipment of T90 tanks and several decommissioned fighter aircraft. The nations have also vowed to continue cooperating on technological advances, and Russia will consider providing global surveillance systems.

Fernandes said the two sides have not negotiated a price for the weapons, noting that "we shall be on that job fairly soon."

MORE STORIES • Russia finding market for weapons    IN-DEPTH India-Pakistan standoff

The agreement comes at a tenuous moment between neighbors, and long-time rivals, India and Pakistan. The nuclear powers have fought three wars since 1947, two over the disputed Muslim-majority region of Kashmir.

India and Pakistan have deployed large numbers of troops to the area since gunmen -- carried out by gunmen linked to militant groups backed by Pakistan and fighting to wrest control Kashmir from India, according to New Delhi -- staged a deadly attack on India's parliament in December.

Analysts said the agreement sends a clear message to Pakistan that India intends to adopt a tough stance on Kashmir. India has said Pakistan must cut down on cross-border infiltration and terrorism.

India's stance has the backing of Moscow.

"Russia totally agrees when India asks Pakistan to do something on the ground to show its sincerity. We want the terrorists to be disarmed and punished," Klebanov said. "Where cases are made out, they should be handed over to India."

Though India's military ties with the United States have increased recently, Russia -- a former Cold War ally -- remains India's biggest supplier of tanks, military aircraft and warships accounting for some 70 percent of all Indian military acquisitions.

Two years ago, India and Russia signed a record arms deal that allowed Indian firms to build Su-30 MK1 warplanes under license.

Officials said that regardless of the deal signed, any transfer of weapons would take some time, allaying fears that such high-powered weapons would be deployed in the current stand-off with Pakistan.

India has acquired several sophisticated Russian tanks in recent weeks, but it was unclear whether they had been deployed either on the Line of Control between Indian- and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, or along the fortified border between the two countries.

-- CNN New Delhi Bureau Chief Satinder Bindra contributed to this report.