In recent years, Russia has been losing its positions at India's defense market, which is explained by their lagging technology and the Indian Government’s intent to diversify arms suppliers, eyeing the United States, Ukraine, South Korea, and others.
Russia launched a smear campaign to discredit its major competitors in India and try to win back the market.
Among its targets is Ukraine's defense industry, Defence Blog reports.
Russia seeks to press Ukraine's defense players out of India in order to compensate for its own losses. After all, India remains Ukraine’s largest trading partner in the field of military-technical cooperation. In the period from 2015 to 2017, Ukraine fulfilled contracts worth a total of some $400 million, including those on IAF's An-32 aircraft repair and gas turbine power units for warships.
UkrOboronProm's Zorya-Mashproekt alone has over the past three years supplied to India products totaling over $200 million, providing Indian ships with power units.
It is worth noting that within the framework of the agreements signed with Indian corporations, Ukraine is making more effort to win tenders within the “Make in India” program to receive orders from the Indian government in the field of aircraft manufacture and repair, modernization of armored vehicles, marine engineering maintenance, and UAV production and supply.
Read alsoUkraine showcases kamikaze-style RAM UAV at UMEX 2018 exhibit in UAE
It is noteworthy that it was in the framework of this contract that an information campaign against Ukraine was launched. Unverified and unconfirmed reports were spun on the Ukrainian company's alleged failure to fulfill the contract. The anti-Ukrainian campaign reached its peak during the active phase of negotiations with foreign contractors on the conclusion of a new contract for the supply of Ukrainian beam holders.
Read alsoSmear campaigns typical Russian tool to shove Ukraine from various markets
Russia has lost to the Americans a number of key tenders on combat and heavy transport helicopters. Besides, the Indian-Russian Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft project is at risk of failure. Over the past eight years, the final aircraft design contract has not been signed as the Indians are reportedly not happy with weak engines, as well as its radar and stealth systems. The Indian side might end up closing down the whole project, opting for an American F-35. If India quits, Russia will have to reduce next-generation aircraft production due to lack of funds.
Read alsoUkraine ranks 77th in SIPRI Top 100 arms producers
In August 2016 came the reports that Russia had sold more defective fighter jets: MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB. According to the audit report, 62% of Russian engines are non-serviceable.
These cases show that Russia's import substitution program is in tatters. Given their use of components to almost all types of military equipment produced in NATO countries and EU, a set of sanctions made Russian engineers and designers face an obstacle now impossible to tackle simply over the lack necessary components.