ST. PETERSBURG DEFENSE FACTORIES SET TO COOPERATE WITH INDIA

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NEW DELHI, December 4 (RIA Novosti's Natalia Shilo) - Enterprises of the St. Petersburg defense industry would like to expand their cooperation with India, St. Petersburg governor Valentina Matviyenko told RIA Novosti.

Enterprises of the city's military-industrial sector, machine-tool enterprises, as well as those turning out power-generating equipment, fulfill Indian orders rather actively. Surely enough, these enterprises would like to expand such cooperation, Matviyenko noted. Such interest can be explained by the fact that St. Petersburg would manage to expand production that way, creating new jobs, raising wages and facilitating the local industry's subsequent development, Matviyenko went on to say.

In her words, new principles of relations between Russia and India were coordinated during Russian President Vladimir Putin's Indian visit.

Among other things, both sides have agreed to set up joint ventures with the help of the Russian-Indian science-and-technological potential; some of their products could be sold on third-country markets, Matviyenko stressed.

St. Petersburg's Consolidated Machine-Building Factories had shipped a VVER-1000 water-cooled and water-moderated reactor's body to the city's seaport in late November 2004; that reactor will subsequently become part and parcel of the first power unit at India's Kudankulam nuclear power plant (NPP), Matviyenko reminded.

Unfortunately, such cooperation now faces serious restrictions; still I believe that these restrictions will be lifted, Matviyenko noted. We can't do this today because we abide by IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) demands; still I think this situation is something temporary; this situation will be settled, and we will be able to continue our production, Matviyenko added.

In April 2004 the Baltic Shipyard furnished the Indian Navy with the third Mk 11356 frigate, i.e. the Tabar. The first two ships in this class, namely, the Talwar and the Trishul, had been transferred to the Indian client in June 2003, Matviyenko said.

Mk 11356 frigates, which were built at this enterprise, are considered to be the most advanced warships in their class. All NATO frigates (patrol ships according to the Russian classification) can only accomplish specialized objectives, such as air-defense operations and ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) operations; or they can knock down enemy missiles. For their own part, Mk 11356 frigates can be called multi-purpose ships in terms of their designation and weapons systems.

The bilateral inter-governmental commission for military-technical cooperation issues held its session on the eve of Vladimir Putin's visit; at that time, it became known that Russia could deliver three more frigates to India.

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