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India shops for Russian arms

India is interested in buying two Kilo class submarines, three destroyers of the Sovremennyi type, and state-of-the-art S-300 PMU anti-missile systems from Russia.

Reporting this, Russian news agency Novosti said a further purchase by India, of four IL-70 tanker aircraft and the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, was also being negotiated.

Quoting defence experts, the agency hinted that Russia could also be on the verge of supplying a further consignment of warplanes to India. The delivery of 40 Sukhoi fighter planes, already contracted, is in the pipeline.

Moscow recently displayed its advanced warplanes to a high level delegation led by Defence Secretary Ajit Kumar which visited several Russian defence installations.

The delegation flies back to New Delhi on Friday, after concluding various deals.

The S-300 anti-missile system is stated to be much superior to the US Patriot missiles, and is capable of simultaneously engaging and destroying multiple targets flying at altitudes ranging from tree-top level to 30 km above sea level.

Leading Russian daily Izvestia, meanwhile, indicated that Russia was not about to sacrifice its vital interests in India.

In an article, foreign policy expert Viktor Litovikn has made a pointed reference to the Kremlin's keen desire to maintain crucial relations with New Delhi at a time when some leading nations had condemned India for carrying out nuclear tests.

UNI

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