Russia To Allow Licensed Production Of Igla-S Shoulder-Fired MANPADS Anti-Aircraft Missiles To A Private Indian Company: Report

Russia has inked a deal to supply Igla-S shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles to India and has granted permission for its licensed production in the country, reported Russian state news agency TASS on Tuesday (14 November).

The Igla-S is a man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) designed for individual or crew use to effectively target and bring down enemy aircraft.

Alexander Mikheyev, the head of the state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, stated, "We have already signed the corresponding document, and now, in collaboration with an Indian private company, we are organising the production of Igla-S MANPADS in India," the TASS report said.

Despite concerns over the reputation of Russia's military and weaponry due to the conflict in Ukraine, where it faced challenges from a smaller but well-equipped Western-backed military, India, the world's largest arms importer, continues to rely heavily on Russia as its primary arms supplier.

Between 2018 and 2022, Russia accounted for 45 per cent of India's arms imports, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). France and the United States contributed 29 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.

Mikheyev, in a statement to the Russian state news agency RIA, mentioned that "Rosoboronexport is working with Indian private and public enterprises to organise joint production of aviation weapons and integrate them into the existing aviation fleet in India".

However, specific details about the Indian companies involved and the timeline for potential production were not disclosed.

Mikheyev highlighted that Rosoboronexport and Indian partners had supplied the Indian Ministry of Defence with various military assets, including Su-30MKI fighter jets, tanks, armoured vehicles, and shells.

Additionally, India and Russia initiated joint production of AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifles earlier in the year.