Reliance Defence has signed an agreement with three Ukrainian state-owned firms — Ukroboronprom, Spetstechno Exports and Antonov — to collaborate on a range of military products including transport aircraft, armoured vehicles, maritime gas turbines and unmanned aerial vehicles.
This follows Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani’s meeting with the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in Ukraine this week, where they discussed issues of strategic interest between Indian and Ukrainian Defence and Aerospace industries.
“As a follow up of the meeting, a Strategic Partnership Agreement was signed between State-owned Ukroboronprom of Ukraine and Reliance Defence, which will allow it to collaborate with Antonov for its range of military and commercial transport aircraft,” according to statement from Reliance Defence. Reliance Defence is a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure Ltd., a part of the Reliance Group.
Under the agreement with Antonov, credited as the manufacturer of largest transport aircraft in the world, Reliance and Antonov will jointly bid for the Medium Military Transport Aircraft program of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Besides, both companies will also collaborate for the assembly and manufacture, and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of Antonov series of aircraft to address the requirements of the Indian market and agreed global markets.
The Indian Air Force currently operates more than 100 AN-32 aircraft, which form the backbone of its transport fleet.
Market sizeHAL is looking at a market size of up to 300 aircraft in the medium range.
This will be potentially the largest collaborative effort involving the public sector, private sector and global OEM as part of the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’ initiatives of the government with the value of the projects exceeding Rs.50,000 crore.
UpgradesThe cooperation between Reliance Defence and Spetstechno Exports, a foreign trade enterprise of Ukraine, will focus on upgrades for the amphibious infantry fighting vehicle (BMP 2), Armoured Vehicles, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Marine Gas Turbines for the Indian Navy Frigate programme in India.
