Russia says in talks with India on helicopters, frigates supplies

India is negotiating purchases of Russian Mi-17 helicopters and Project 11356 frigates, a Russian official said Monday.

These negotiations "are proceeding and they are at different stages," Vasily Kozhin, aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin for military-technical cooperation, said in an interview with Rossia-24 TV channel.

The Mi-17 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter, which also has an armed gunship version and is considered one of the world's most advanced military helicopters.

The Project 11356 guided missile frigate is a multipurpose warship armed with powerful weapons capable of hitting various types of targets.

Last year, Indian media reported that Russia and India were holding talks on a contract for 48 Mi-17 choppers.

The two countries were also reported to have reached an agreement on the deliveries of three Project 11356 frigates.

Kozhin said that India is Russia's "major privileged partner."

India is the only country with which Russia has signed a plan for strategic military-technical cooperation until 2020 and India ranked the fifth in terms of the volume of Russian arms exports last year, he said.

Kozhin said India and Russia have "very large programs of strategic cooperation," including the development and production of modern fighter jets, main battle tanks and cruise missiles.

 xinhuanet