Moscow, Islamabad Discuss Establishment of Helicopter Service Center

Head of Rostec's International Cooperation Department Viktor Kladov said that Moscow and Islamabad are holding negotiations on creating a Russian technical service center in Pakistan, which would maintain and repair helicopters.

DUBAI (Sputnik) — Russia and Pakistan are negotiating over the creation of a service center for helicopters in Pakistan, head of Rostec's International Cooperation Department Viktor Kladov said Sunday.

"There is a huge number of Russian helicopters in Pakistan. We are currently holding negotiations. It is about creating a technical service center, which would maintain and repair helicopters," Kladov said.

In March, Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain announced Islamabad's intention to expand military-technical cooperation with Russia and purchase Russian helicopter gunships.

In August, a contract for four Mi-35M transport and attack helicopters was signed by Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and Pakistan's Ministry of Defense, according to a spokesperson for the Russian Embassy in Islamabad.