Nikolai Surkov, Dmitry Litovkin
Izvestia, August 29, 2016, p. 3
Eight Pakistani companies will participate in Army-2016 forum organized by the Russian Defense Ministry. Among them are leaders of the Pakistani military industrial complex.
EIGHT COMPANIES FROM PAKISTAN WILL PARTICIPATE IN ARMY-2016 FORUM
Eight Pakistani companies will participate in Army-2016 forum organized by the Russian Defense Ministry. Among them are leaders of the Pakistani military industrial complex.
The following companies will present their products at the international military technological forum to be held between September 6 and 11 in Patriot park in Moscow Region: Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO), J.Sports, Liaqat Corporation Pvt Ltd, Fighters Group, Embroidery Exports, Cords and Knots Pvt Ltd, METASCO and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (РАС).
Besides traditional producers of fabrics, accessories and clothes J.Sports and Cords and Knots Pvt Ltd Pakistan will also be represented by very big structures. DEPO is a direct counterpart of Russian Oboronexport and РАС is the Pakistani united aircraft-building corporation.
Representatives of the Defense Ministry do not say which products companies of the Pakistani military industrial complex plan to demonstrate. Along with this, the companies asked for fairly big premises where they planned to place stands, negotiation rooms and technical premises and to demonstrate models of their products.
Previously, Moscow was visited by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of Pakistan Rashad Mahmoud. According to results of negotiations, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov announced that he highly appreciated the prospects for cooperation of the defense ministries. According to him, in 2016 the military of Russia and Pakistan plan a “busy program” of joint events including negotiations of the general staffs, joint military exercises and exchange of military delegations.
Director of the department of Pakistan of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Serge Kamenev says that appearance of Pakistani companies at Army-2016 is an indisputably important event for both countries.
The political advisor explained:
– In the political aspect participation of Pakistani companies in such an event important for the authorities of Russia is a part of the course at development of bilateral relations and an indicator of the level of development of these relations.
According to Kamenev, Pakistan is striving for military cooperation with Russia and is ready to buy many kinds of armament.
Kamenev remarked:
– In the last two years, military technological cooperation of Russia with Pakistan moved noticeably further, whereas until 2014 there was no cooperation at all. Moscow permanently looked back at Delhi fearing to lose the huge Indian market but now this prohibition was informally lifted.
At any rate, according to the expert, only the first steps were taken yet.
Kamenev added:
– We have sold four strike helicopters Mi-35 to Pakistan, now Islamabad wants to by 10-12 helicopters more and negotiations are currently underway. Pakistan also inquires about Su-35M fighters.
Interaction between the military is being established too.
– There were visits of our ships to Pakistan, exercises for combating of piracy were also conducted. There is information not confirmed officially that joint exercises on mountain terrain may take place in autumn of this year.
Andrei Frolov, editor-in-chief of Export Vooruzheny magazine presumes that participation of Pakistanis in Army-2016 has a political rather than practical importance.
Frolov presumes:
– Participation in Army-2016 is a way to announce themselves and an element of strengthening of bilateral relations. Pakistan can offer to Russia very little in the field of armament because armament is made there mostly under license. Along with this, the matter will possibly be about supply of components or materials that we cannot receive in the West now. They may also participate in various programs for maintenance of helicopters.
The military expert reminded that Pakistanis manifested their interest in Russian helicopters Mi-17, Mi-35 and Mi-28. They are also eyeing heavy transport helicopters Mi-26 and Su-35 fighters. According to Frolov, signing of contracts on supply of ground armament, first of all, grenade launchers and machine guns is also possible.
