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Indian Air Force cancels plans to buy 48 Mi-17V5 Helicopters from Russia
The We For News reported, the Indian Air Force has decided to cancel plans to buy 48 more Mi-17V5 helicopters from Russia. The aim is to support the Make in India initiative in the Defence programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The decision to scrap the procurement plans is not related to the conflict between Russian and Ukraine, the sources said. The move was made before the conflict broke out and is aimed to bolster the ‘Make in India’ initiative, a government program designed to boost local high-tech production and to lower the country’s dependence on imports.
Agovernment source told the India Today magazine: “The tender for 48 Mi-17V5 helicopters has been withdrawn in view of the push for indigenization. The IAF would now be supporting an indigenous program for helicopters."
It was not immediately clear whether the potential procurement had materialized into any sort of deal or memorandum of understanding with Russia, or whether it remained only a plan harbored by the Indian government.
India receives more orders of Russian S-400 air defense systems
India is a major importer of Russian-made arms and maintains a large fleet of Mi-17 helicopters of various configurations. Apart from being the workhorse of the IAF medium-lift transport aviation, this type of helicopter is used by other Indian government agencies, including for flying top officials around the country.
Source: wefornews
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- November 7, 2024
Amid growing anxiety among several European countries participating in NATO over Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated he looks forward to sitting down with Trump.
Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.
Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.
On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.
It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.
Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.
Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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