Def ties shift from buyer-seller roles to that of joint players

NEW DELHI: The long-standing extensive defence partnership between India and Russia will “reorient” itself from largely a buyer-seller relationship at present to joint R&D, co-development and co-production of advanced military technologies and systems. The joint statement issued after the Modi-Putin summit said this was in tune with India’s quest for self-reliance in defence production. Both sides agreed to encourage joint manufacturing in India of spare parts, components and other products for maintenance of Russian-origin arms as well as defence equipment under the Make in India programme through transfer of technology, it said. The two countries will also work to set up joint ventures to meet the needs of the Indian armed forces as well as “subsequently export to mutually friendly t