Prospects of Bilateral Cooperation Are on the Agenda

From 20 to 23 May 2015, a delegation of the Indian Defence Ministry was on a visit to Belarus. The delegation participated in the 7th session of the Belarus-India Joint Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation (hereinafter referred to as the Commission).

On 21 May, Chairman of Goscomvoyenprom Sergei Gurulyov held a meeting with Head of the Indian delegation, First Deputy Secretary of the Indian Defence Ministry’s Department of Defence Production and Head of the Indian team of the Commission Ashok Kumar Gupta. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to Belarus Manoj Kumar Bharti was also present at the meeting.

During the talks, the parties confirmed their mutual interest in further development of military-technical cooperation and pointed out certain potential for expansion of cooperation.

From 21 to 22 May, Minsk hosted the 7th session of the Belarus-India Joint Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation.

As Ashok Kumar Gupta pointed out in his opening remarks, Belarus is on the list of India’s priority partners. According to him, the relations in the sphere of military-technical cooperation between the two countries are time-tested and successfully promoted, but there is a need to move forward.

“I am glad that Belarus and India successfully develop several joint projects. At the same time we should find new common interests of our mutually beneficial partnership,” said the head of the Indian team of the Commission to his Belarusian partners.

Currently, Indian Defence Ministry is re-evaluating the Defence Procurement Procedure. The amendments will ensure greater transparency and efficiency of existing procedures and will attract private sector in the development of defence products.

First Deputy Chairman of Goscomvoyenprom, Head of the Belarusian team of the Commission Igor Bykov confirmed Belarus’s interest in further development of military-technical cooperation between the two countries based on friendship, trust and mutually beneficial relations.

“These are the establishment of joint ventures and cooperation between the parties at all stages of military products lifecycle management – from development, production, operation and maintenance to recycling. In addition, Goscomvoyenprom acts as guarantor of quality of the work performed,” said Igor Bykov.

The parties were informed on the implementation of the decisions taken at the 6th Commission session and discussed current and future projects, as well as agreed on project’s further implementation. Following the session, the Commission signed a final protocol.