Article Posted on : - Sep 24, 2013

The Russian pavilion at NAMEXPO 2013. A BNS photo

COCHIN (BNS): Russia is participating in full strength at NAMEXPO 2013 - India's first dedicated naval and maritime exhibition being held at Cochin Port Trust, Kerala.

The large Russian delegation is led by premier defence companies such as state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, a subsidiary of the Rostec State Corporation, along with Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering, St. Petersburg- based Malakhit Marine Engineering Bureau and Sudoexport, as well as the Mars research and Production Association and the Aquarium Company.

The companies are showcasing their maritime capabilities by exhibiting models of Project 11356 frigates, Amur-1650 diesel-electric submarine and a wide range of naval weapon systems.

Russia is currently planning to discuss concrete steps to deepen cooperation with India's public and private industries for joint design and manufacture of naval equipment, particularly constructing new ships for Indian Navy.

"We work closely with our Indian partners in the naval area and hope that the new specialised exhibition will be a good platform to highlight our capabilities.

"Today, India has set ambitious goals to strengthen the country's naval forces and Russia, as its strategic ally, is ready to largely cooperate to effectively implement these plans," Viktor Komardin, Deputy Director General of Rosoboronexport said during the ongoing naval exhibition.

The five-day exhibition, which began on Monday, is seeing presence of nearly 30 defence firms, agencies, public sector concerns and R&D laboratories which also include global companies such as Japanese ShinMaya, SAAB from Sweden and Eurocopter.

Indian Navy, on their end, has brought the indigenous stealth frigate INS Satpura for the exhibition and a scintillating operation demonstration by the MARCOS on the waterfront highlighting the naval prowess of the Navy has been an added attraction to the show.

The exhibition will conclude on Sept 27.