BRICS Summit: Modi meets Vladimir Putin, likely to sign key defence deals

Panaji: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the BRICS Summit in Goa on Saturday. The two leaders shook hands and exchanged greetings.

Eighth BRICS Summit and first-ever BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit is starting in Goa today.

While the five-member BRICS group comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the seven-member BIMSTEC bloc has Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

Ramping up bilateral ties, India and Russia are likely to sign key defence deals worth billions of dollars today as Moscow hopes to stave off tough competition from the Americans and the Europeans to continue being New Delhi's foremost defence supplier.

While India and Russia will sign a "complex agreement" for production of 200 Kamov 226T helicopters domestically under a nearly USD 1 billion deal to replace the country's ageing Cheetah and Chetak choppers, a deal on naval frigates is also likely.

Russian media reports have said other major deals will be signed too.

The most strategic important military deal will be the one for the supply of S-400 'Triumf' long-range air defence missile systems which has the capability to destroy incoming hostile aircraft, missiles and even drones at ranges of up to 400 km.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov has been quoted as saying by TASS news agency that the deal for the air defence system will be signed.

India and Russia have been in talks for over a year for the purchase of at least S S400 systems that will be a game changer in the region.

It is capable of firing three types of missiles, creating a layered defence, and simultaneously engaging 36 targets. If India signs the deal, it would be the second customer of the prized missile system after China which had struck a USD 3 billion contract last year.

Other contracts that both countries are eyeing relate to the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft, leasing of a second nuclear submarine by India and production of a new version of the BrahMos missile.

While Russia has traditionally being India's main defence supplier, recent years have seen American and European companies making a big headway.

Russia has slowly fought back and offered a slew of equipment, even under the 'Make in India' initiative.