In a bid to help India meet an acute shortage of spares for its armaments, Russia has offered to set up a depot in the country, the first of its kind, to cater to the requirements of the three defence services.
The proposal of the Russian government was being examined by the government, official sources said.
During his visit to Russia last month, Defence Minister A K Antony raised the issue of shortage of spares for various armaments in the inventory of the Indian Navy, Army and Indian Air Force, following which the proposal came from Moscow.
The defence ministry is now discussing the Russian proposal and some positive response seems to be emerging. It is being felt that the time consumed in getting crucial spares will be saved through such an option and it will be cost effective too, the sources said.
India has several arms and equipment in its inventory, which have been manufactured by Russia. Many of them are being co-produced in India. These include MiG and Sukhoi fighters, T-90 and T-72 tanks, AN-32 planes, the Ilyushin (Gajraj) aircraft, submarines, vessels and missiles.
According to the proposal, Russia would set up a depot where spares of various Russian armaments as well as those of equipment produced by companies in the erstwhile Soviet Union will be stored, the sources said.
Though in principle, New Delhi was not averse to such a move it will wait till a formal proposal is sent from the Russian government in which the finer points about the management of the depot are sorted out.
Russia has also assured that it would provide spares of other such equipment, which had been purchased from other countries of the erstwhile USSR, they said.
The depot, they said, will be cost effective as at present, India has to pay huge price for every spare part purchased either directly or through Rosoboronservices (India), a joint venture company of Russian and Indian Arms companies.
This would also curtail frequent visits by Indian officials to various CIS countries hunting for spares, the sources said.
Rosoboronservice (India) had earlier planned to create a bonded warehouse in Mumbai for spares and maintaining the Indian naval assets of Russian origin.
This would have become a 'one-stop shop' for all after-sales service, repair, maintenance, upgrade and training needs of all assets of Indian Navy of Russian origin.The problem of spares had become acute following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, with the Indian armed forces having to negotiate with scores of different companies for supply of spares or maintenance. At times, this had also affected the battle-worthiness of certain equipment of the armed forces.
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