Rosoboronexport company of the State Corporation Rostec is organizing a unified Russian display for the Aero India 2023 International Exhibition, including the export version Su-57E, Checkmate, MiG-35D, Ka-52E, etc., betting very heavily on the last big and historic Defense market it has left, after the invasion of Ukraine.
«Rosoboronexport is a permanent participant in one of the world’s largest air shows, Aero India, where the Russian exhibition traditionally stands out for its scale and the volume of products for air forces and air defense. The exhibition provides us with an excellent opportunity to showcase modern models of Russian production and discuss areas for further bilateral cooperation with India,» Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheev said.
«Military-technical cooperation between Russia and India is an example of industrial partnership with numerous completed and operational joint projects for all branches of the armed forces. Today we offer new points of interaction within the framework of joint development and manufacturing of high-tech products based on Indian enterprises within the national program Make in India, with all the requirements for localization and technology transfer,» he added.
Aero India 2023 will be held February 13-17 at Yelahanka Air Force Base in Bangalore, India. The unified Russian exhibition, located in Hall B, includes the booths of Rosoboronexport, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and Almaz-Antey Concern, along with delegations from several other Russian companies that manufacture products related to the exhibition theme.
Improving after-sales service, a priority
Historically, Russian defense export customers have complained that it is more expensive and complex to maintain this equipment in operational condition, particularly because of poor after-sales service.
In this regard, UAC Director General Yury Slyusar stated that one of the key priorities of UAC’s presence on the Indian aviation market is the development of a unique after-sales support system for Russian aircraft operating in the Indian Armed Forces. This is an urgent need of Indian partners and a necessary element for the development of strategic cooperation between the two countries.
Rostec goes full throttle
Russia’s participation in the new edition of the Aero India 2023 International Aerospace Exhibition will be particularly strong, as India is not only a traditional market for Russian defense products, but also the most important one in terms of turnover. To this must be added the entry of the U.S. as a new supplier of weapons systems for India, and the great commitment that the Asian country is making to reduce its external dependence on defense products.
Finally, it should be added that due to the threat posed by the CAATSA sanctions and, in particular, the new set of sanctions imposed after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there are many potential arms markets that Russia has been losing.
That is why Rostec and its partner companies are going to bet heavily on the Indian market, offering for sale and industrial cooperation their latest and most advanced weapons systems.
Combat aircraft
Fifth generation
Rostec will present the fifth-generation advanced multi-role fighter, with some operational use in the Ukrainian war, Su-57E, its export version. Initially India had been very interested in participating in the project and was going to develop the two-seater version to meet the needs of its Air Force, but then, certain characteristics of the aircraft and the failure to agree with Russia on a more favorable level of technology transfer, ended up precipitating New Delhi’s exit.
Another program with which Russia hopes to attract Indian participation is the Su-75 Checkmate, a fifth-generation single-engine fighter that will complement the Su-57, from which it takes many development elements.
«Traditional» 4.5-generation fighters
India is already well aware of the virtues of the heavy fighters of the Flanker family, whose Su-30MKI model is produced locally under license by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). India is working on a modernization plan for these aircraft, replacing a large part of their avionics and systems that are becoming obsolete with others of recent development, many of them of Indian origin. In addition, the Indian Air Force (IAF) had expressed the need to reinforce itself with the creation of a new pair of fighter squadrons, for which Russia would offer the Su-35 and Su-30SME, which are the most modern Russian versions of the Flanker family.
Russia will also carry the MiG-35D, a two-seat multirole version of the most advanced iteration of the famous Fulcrum (NATO code) fighter family. The MiG-35 competes in the MRFA program to provide 114 multi-role fighters to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The future of the MiG-35 is uncertain, as the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) showed no interest in the model, preferring to focus on the Su-30 and Su-35, and if it does not get a major order soon, the story that began in the late 1970s with the MiG-29, will come to an end.
Transport aircraft
Rosoboronexport will present the Il-76MD-90A(E) military transport aircraft, the Il-78MK-90A refueling aircraft, modernized and re-engined aircraft that are more efficient and cost-effective than their previous versions, also in operation in India.
Helicopters
Russia will insist on the light multi-role Ka-226T helicopter, the production of which the joint venture «Indo Russian Helicopters Limited» intends to launch with the participation of Russian and Indian industrial enterprises within the framework of the «Make in India» program.
This helicopter had won an international tender to supply 200 units to the Indian Air Force and Army, but according to local media, the New Delhi government does not intend to go ahead with the plan to locally build the Kamov Ka-226T, whose $1 billion deal, had been closed since 2015 but never signed, in order to prioritize the LUH, a light helicopter designed locally by HAL.
Other helicopters to be showcased during Aero India 2023 include upgraded versions of the Ka-52E and Mi-28NE attack helicopters and the Mi-171Sh military transport, which are in high demand in the global market and in the Asia-Pacific region.
Visitors to the Rosoboronexport stand are invited to see mock-ups of Russian unmanned aerial vehicles: the Orion-E reconnaissance and attack aircraft, the Orlan-10E reconnaissance aircraft and the Orlan-30, an innovation from 2022. The Orlan-10 and Orlan-30 drones are being used operationally over the Ukrainian theater, but not in sufficient numbers to meet the Russian Armed Forces’ high demand for such systems, indispensable for modern warfare.
Air defense systems
Rostec will exhibit the full range of equipment that can be used both individually and as part of a layered air defense system. The Russian exhibition will include the S-350E Vityaz surface-to-air missile system, the Viking, Tor-M2KM and Tor-M2E anti-aircraft missile systems, and the Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile system.
In addition, the company will offer man-portable Igla-S and Verba anti-aircraft missile systems. Russian anti-drone systems, such as Repellent, RLK-MCE, RB-504P-E and RB-504A-E, will also be shown to visitors.
As part of the Aero India 2023 business program, Rostec plans to hold substantive meetings and negotiations with government and private representatives of India and countries of the Asia-Pacific region in order to expand industrial collaboration work between Russia and the countries of the region. Proposals to be made during the exhibition, will be guided by the requirements of the national programs Make in India and Self-Sufficient India.
