Indo-Russian talks on production of the Ka-226T helicopter have been frozen as Russia’s Indian negotiation partner is dissatisfied with the level of localization proposed by the joint venture, even as Indian military officials are mulling the purchase of already assembled helicopters from Russia, Vladimir Drozhzhov, Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, told TASS at the Aero India 2023 international exhibition in Bangalore.

"Unfortunately, the talks with our Indian partners on the level of localization for production of the Ka-226T helicopter are nearly frozen. As the Republic of India Defense Ministry has stated, they are dissatisfied with the localization level proposed by the joint venture. Our Indian partners are now being presented with a revised proposal for the localization of helicopter production in India, which calls for a localization level of 70%. The Indian side is expected to submit its decision on continuing the negotiation process," he said.

Drozhzhov said that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), an Indian state-owned aircraft construction corporation, is offering the Indian armed forces its own in-house developed light multi-purpose helicopter, but added that this product is inferior to the Russian helicopter in terms of combat characteristics. In light of this, Indian military officials are studying the option of purchasing fully assembled Ka-226Ts, although no concrete decision has yet been made, the Russian agency’s deputy head noted.

Dmitry Shugayev, who heads the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, told TASS last year about the project for producing Ka-226T helicopters in India, which was then still pending approval, at the Army-2022 international forum. All India Radio had previously reported that the South Asian country’s air force needed Russia’s Ka-226T helicopters to replace its vintage fleet of outdated rotary-wing Cheetah and Chetak aircraft.