Almost simultaneously, the media reported an agreement between the two countries on the modernization of the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov for operational use by the Indian navy. The earlier deadline for the handover of the ship, 2008, could not be met because the amount of work involved and the cost were wrongly assessed when the original contract was signed. The contract was in danger of being broken off, but the parties have agreed to extend the deadline and increase the cost. Amendments to the terms of the contract are currently being negotiated.

The contract to modernize the fleet of India's MiG-29s and the deal over the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier put paid to the allegations about a brewing crisis in the military-technical cooperation -- MTC -- between Russia and India. This is not to say that there are no problems in the military-technical cooperation between the two countries. Indeed, they are not as simple as "sub-standard quality of weapons." Let us take a closer look at the matter.

The Indian army has been using Soviet weapons ever since the 1960s. Soviet arms supplies played an important role in ensuring India's victory in the 1965 and 1971 conflicts with Pakistan. All the Indian armed services -- the army, navy and air force -- used Soviet military hardware. India also used European arms, some of which it bought from France and Britain, which readily sold sophisticated weapons systems ranging from tanks to aircraft carriers to the great nation that for so long had been the Gem of the British Empire until 1947.

At the same time China, the Soviet Union's main geopolitical and strategic rival in Asia, started selling arms to Pakistan, India's main rival, thus triggering an arms race on the South Asian subcontinent, which was a scaled-down replica of the main global arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union.

The situation began to change by the late 20th century.

India's economic boom, combined with the experience it gained in the process of maintenance, repair and assembly of foreign military equipment under licenses, made direct supply of weapons irrelevant to the country. To succeed in the Indian arms market, suppliers now had to offer to organize local production of sophisticated technology under license.

Next: Why India needs to produce missiles with Russia

(Ilya Kramnik is a military observer for RIA Novosti. This article is reprinted by permission of RIA Novosti. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti. )

(United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)

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