To push make in India, large industry delegation to accompany Defence Minister to Russia

In a bid to push 'Make in India', a large industry delegation would be travelling with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the first week of November to Russia, which is the biggest supplier of defence equipment to India.

The visit scheduled to start from November 5 is coming at a time when the two countries are pushing for tie-ups and partnership between Indian and Russian compes for the production of spares and equipment for the Indian forces.

"The Defence Minister is visiting Russia for the India Russia Intergovernmental Commission for Military and Technical Commission with his Russian counterpart where the two sides will discuss the entire gamut of defence and technology ties between them and ways to further expanding this cooperation," Defence officials said here.

The high level delegation scheduled to go there have the who's who of the defence bureaucracy including Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, DRDO Chief G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary (Defence Production) Subhash Chandra and DG Acquisition Apoorva Chandra along with Joint Secretary Sanjay Jaju who is playing a key role in pushing Make in India in defence sector.

The defence industry representatives travelling with the Defence Ministry include top public and private sector compes including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bharat Dynamics Limited, Larsen and Toubro.

The new private sector entrants into the defence sector include Ad Industries.

India and Russia have had over five decades of defence partnership. Major Indian defence hardware including tanks, nuclear submarines and fighter aircraft are of Russian origin.

Despite India diversifying its equipment, the two countries are still engaged in defence trade of more than five billion dollars every year, including the S-400 air defence missile system and SU-30 MKI fighter aircraft.

India and Russia have recently signed a deal for joint manufacturing of AK-203 assault rifles at the Ordnance Factory Board in Amethi.

( With inputs from ANI )