NEW DELHI, Feb 8: India and Russia signed a series of military protocols on Friday but the two close allies failed to reach any agreement on a raft of billion-dollar defence deals that could have had far-reaching strategic implications.
The two sides, however, pledged to pursue deals that eluded India and Russia despite two days of intense talks between teams led by visiting Russian Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov and Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes.
Klebanov and Fernandes hinted at the deadlock on the leasing of several TU-22 long-range strategic bombers, as well as the purchase of the ageing Russian aircraft carrier, Admiral Gorshkov.
“The technical discussions have been completed. The price negotiation is what needs to be done,” Fernandes told a joint press conference at the end of the talks.
“How much time it will take is too difficult to forecast at this time.”
There was also no sign during Klebanov’s trip of a widely expected deal on the Indian Navy leasing two Russian nuclear submarines.
“I am not ready to address the question concerning nuclear-powered submarines, because I am not holding negotiations on this point,” Klebanov said.
“As far as the Gorshkov and TU-22 bombers are concerned, we are finalising negotiations,” he added.
Officials said if agreements were reached on all the proposals the total Russian bill for India could be in excess of three billion dollars.—AFP
