In a major development, India and Russia signed a contract to supply Igla-S hand-held anti-aircraft missiles to New Delhi-- nearly eight months after Moscow officials anticipated that a key contract on the supply and licensed production of Igla-S man-portable air defense systems in India will be inked.

The Igla-S is a man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) that can be fired by an individual or crew to bring down an enemy aircraft.

"We have already signed the corresponding document and now, together with an Indian private company, we are organizing the production of Igla-S MANPADS in India,” TASS quoted Alexander Mikheyev, head of the state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, as saying.

However, the official did not disclose the name of the private Indian entity which has been assigned to produce the weapon.

Another Russian state news agency, RIA, quoted Mikheyev earlier as saying, "Rosoboronexport is working with Indian private and public enterprises to organize joint production of aviation weapons and integrate them into the existing aviation fleet in India".

India is the world's largest arms importer and Russia remains its largest supplier despite the damage to the reputation of its army and weaponry from the war in Ukraine, where Russia has suffered numerous setbacks at the hands of a smaller but highly motivated and Western-equipped military.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia accounted for 45% of India's arms imports between 2018 and 2022, with France providing 29% and the United States 11%.

It is noteworthy that the Indian Army, which had been searching for new man-portable air defense systems for a long time, last year inducted a limited number of Igla-S systems. Under an emergency procurement agreement, the weapons were imported from Russia. At that time, it was reported that larger contracts for Igla-S systems under the Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORAD) deal were underway. 

Later in February this year, Deputy Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Vladimir Drozhzhov told TASS at the Aero India 2023 international exhibition in Bangalore that Moscow was looking forward to the Indian side’s decision on signing the contract on the supply and licensed production of Igla-S man-portable air defense systems.

Image source: Times of India