Gorshkov deal may be finalised during Antony`s Russia visit

New Delhi, Oct 9 (PTI) India is likely to finalise a
fresh deal with Russia for purchase of aircraft carrier
'Admiral Gorshkov' besides holding talks on decades-old
defence cooperation between them during a three-day visit of
Indian Defence Minister A K Antony to Moscow next week.

Though officially the Indian side is declining to
admit, Defence Ministry sources said here that the deal for
refit of Gorshkov, for which Russia is demanding USD 2.9
billion from India as against the 2004 contracted price of USD
974 million, would be signed during Antony's visit beginning
October 13.

The Defence Minister will also be holding discussions
on taking forward on-going projects such as development of
fifth generation fighter aircraft, production of T-90 tanks
and issues relating to BrahMos missiles and Sukhoi upgrades.

The Defence Ministry only said that Antony would
co-chair on October 14 and 15 the ninth meeting of the
India-Russia Inter Governmental Commission on Military
Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC).

The IRIGC-MTC meets annually, alternatively in India
and Russia, during which Defence Ministers of the two
countries review and discuss matters relating to bilateral
defence cooperation.

The two sides would also hold talks and finalise
modalities for extending the IRIGC-MTC by another 10 years
after the first such agreement signed in 1998 ends in 2010,
Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said. (MORE) PTI