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Russia wants to jointly produce LCA: Fernandes

Russia has expressed its keenness to be involved in joint production of the Light Combat Aircraft.

The matter will be on the agenda when the Indo-Russian joint commission meets in St Petersburg in early April, Defence Minister George Fernandes said on Tuesday.

"Ten days after the LCA took off on its maiden flight in Bangalore, both Sukhoi and MiG manufacturers said that when it comes to the manufacturing stage they would like to be involved," Fernandes said.

He said this was an indication of the project's success.

After presenting the national awards for excellence in indigenisation of defence stores, Fernandes said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov, who heads the commission jointly with him, had, during talks in New Delhi earlier this month, brought up the subject of joint production of the LCA.

"It will be part of the agenda when the joint commission meets in St Petersburg in April," he said.

The defence minister also said a detailed project report had been received on the aircraft carrier, Admiral Gorshkov, which Russia is 'gifting' to India.

The report is being processed and the next stage will be signing the contract and getting ahead with the work of refitting, he added.

UNI

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