Russia to 'Make in India' 400 Helicopters a Year

New Delhi: Russia and India have agreed to assemble 400 twin-engined helicopters a year in India, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said after summit talks between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Rogozin said the deal related to the Ka-226T, a light multi-role helicopter built by Russian Helicopters that can be used for search-and-rescue operations in mountainous areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told President Vladimir Putin on Thursday that Russia will remain India's top defence supplier, even though New Delhi's options had improved since the end of the Cold War.

PM Modi spoke after a one-day summit that sought to revive a relationship that peaked in the Soviet era, while the two sides signed billions of dollars in deals covering nuclear power, oil and defence cooperation.

In the most significant ones, Russia's state-owned Rosatom will build 12 nuclear reactors in India, energy major Rosneft inked a 10-year crude supply deal with India's Essar Oil and Russia promised to build advanced helicopters in India.

"Even if India's options have increased, Russia remains our most important defence partner," PM Modi told reporters after the first formal summit between the leaders since he won elections by a landslide in May. (Russia remains our top defence partner, says PM Modi)

Mr Putin's visit comes as the Kremlin grapples with a sliding oil price and weak economy that have deepened the impact of Western sanctions over its annexation of Crimea last spring and support for an uprising in eastern Ukraine.

The tension over Ukraine intruded on the choreographed visit when it emerged that the Russian-backed leader of Crimea had travelled as part of Mr Putin's delegation for what were billed as unofficial talks to enhance trade.

"We highly appreciate the friendship, trust and mutual understanding with Indian partners," said President Putin who touched on bilateral issues chiefly in his statement to journalists. (Read full text of the joint statement)

No questions were allowed.