Russia signs contract with India at Farnborough Airshow

FARNBOROUGH, July 17 (Itar-Tass) -- The Helicopters of Russia
company has signed an agreement with the Indian company Vectra Group on establishment of a joint venture in India for repairs, servicing and sales of Russian - made helicopters.

Director General of the Helicopters of Russia company Andrei Shibitov and his Indian counterpart from the Vectra
Group signed the deal. The joint venture will be based in Chandigarh not
far from Delhi, which is a convenient site for servicing helicopters used
in the north and south of India, Arms Tass said on Wednesday.
The main purpose of the establishment of the joint venture is to
provide a service center to be used as a base for the development of a new
system of support to the Russian- made helicopter fleet used in India, he
said. All in all there are 100 Russia-made helicopters used in India now,
Shibitov said. In the near future we are hoping to sign a number of
contracts that will help considerably enlarge the aircraft of the Indian
Air Force, Shibitov said. An active campaign continues to advance new
aircraft models to the Indian market, such as Ansat and Ka- 226T, he
added.
Shibitov commented on Russia's plans to begin an active
demonstration of Russian helicopters at biggest International airshows,
above all, Mi-38, Ka-226T and Ansat helicopters that will be exhibited at
international airshows since 2009. A modernized model of a Mi-34
helicopter will be demonstrated in the end of 2009. Given permission from
the Russian defense ministry Russia will demonstrate combat helicopters
Mi-28H, Ka-52 and a model of a modernized helicopter Mi-8.
In 2007 Russia built 121 helicopters, and in 2008 Russia is
expected to build more than 200 helicopters of all models.