NEW DELHI, Aug 19: India’s army chief of staff heads on Sunday to Russia to reaffirm India’s continuing long-term strategic partnership with its old ally despite fast expanding defence ties with the United States.

Gen Joginder Jaswant Singh will hold talks with senior military officials, including the Chief of the General Staff of the Defence Ministry, and visit several military bases during his week-long visit, the Press Trust of India said on Saturday.

Officials say the trip is part of customary “military-diplomatic” ties between the two nations which used to be on the same side of the fence during the Cold War, the agency said.

Moscow remains India’s biggest arms supplier despite New Delhi’s rapidly warming relationship with Washington.

But the visit has assumed added significance amid reports Russia is concerned that India is increasingly looking to other countries such as Israel, its second-largest arms supplier, the United States and France for defence goods.

Gen Joginder Jaswant Singh will be pressing for strong guarantees from Russia on maintenance of delivery schedules of contracted weapon systems, uninterrupted supply of spares and product support, issues that have become sources of concern in recent years.

Russia is keen on winning a $6.5-billion contract to sell 126 multi-role combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force and has pitted its MiG-35 jet against the US F-16 and F/A-18, French Rafale, Swedish JAS-39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon in the contest.—AFP