'BrahMos shining example of Indo-Russian defence ties'

Congratulating the people involved in the joint project on the 10th anniversary of the maiden launch of the deadly supersonic missile, which is coinciding with 'Russia Day' national holiday being celebrated tomorrow, Ambassador Malhotra said, "The BrahMos project is a shining example of contemporary India-Russia defence cooperation.

"It captures several aspects of our defence cooperation, which has moved from a buyer-seller relationship into one involving joint research, development and production of advanced and world-class systems."

He underscored that the project has combined Indian and Russian technological capabilities with manufacturing expertise available in public and private industries of the two strategic partners.

He said it has help in the prosperity of tens of cities and towns in both countries involved in the joint project.

"It has benefited industries located in cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad in India as well as those in places such as Orenburg, Miass, Reutov, Perm and Safinova in Russia," Malhotra said said in an interview to Voice of Russia radio.

He noted that a conference on "Joint Ventures and Technology Collaboration in Defence" will be held tomorrow in New Delhi to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the BrahMos launch.

Moreover, a Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Chair would be established at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and a Dr H A Yefremov Chair at the Moscow Aviation Institute, Moscow in honour of the two outstanding scientists, who were behind the inception of the project.

He said the Chairs will serve to build Centres of Excellence for High Speed Aerodynamics at the two prestigious institutes. The BrahMos missile, which gets its name from the two great rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva, is built by BrahMos Aerospace which is a joint venture established in 1999 by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia.

Over the years the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile has been further developed for launch from multiple air, ship, submarine and land based platforms.

Ambassador Malhotra recalled that several other India-Russia projects presently underway, such as the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft project, the Multi-Role Transport Aircraft project, and those for the manufacture of T-90 tanks and SU-30MKI fighters in India, also go beyond a traditional buyer-seller relationship.

"The pattern of cooperation we have developed has brought benefits to vital sectors in India and Russia. India has benefited from access to technology and materials that have contributed to its security and development, while Russian industries in these sectors have prospered from having India as a reliable and preferred partner," he said.