18th meeting of IRIGC-MTC held in New Delhi

The Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently met Russian Defence Minister  General Sergei Shoigu at the 18th meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) that was held in New Delhi.
Important Highlights of the 18^th Meeting of IRIGC-MTC:

• In the meeting, a wide range of issues were discussed regarding defence equipment, industry and technological cooperation between India and Russia.
• Issues related to after sales support and upgradation of military equipment of Russian origin were also discussed.
• Both the Ministers has expressed heir satisfaction at the progress in bilateral defence cooperation between India and Russia.
• Discussions took place on joint manufacturing projects in the meeting, including the Kamov-226T helicopters, naval frigates and other projects related to land systems.
• There was also an agreement from both the sides to take forward inter-governmental arrangements to facilitate joint .manufacturing of spares for equipments of Russian origin in India, under the ‘Make in India’ scheme.
• The existing IRIGC-MTC will be restructured to the IRIGC on Military and Military Technical Cooperation. An agreement regarding this was signed by the two Defence Ministers.

About IRIGC-MTC:
Russia has been the most important arms supplier for India’s Defence forces.  Both the countries have an institutionalized structure to oversee all the issues of military-technical cooperation. The IRIGC is at the top of this institutionalized structure. The India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) was set up in 2000.  The First meeting of the IRIGC-MTC was held in Moscow in 2001.  The 19^th IRIGC meeting is proposed to be held in Russia next year.