On February 10, the XV International Aerospace Technology Exhibition Aero India 2025 opened in India. It takes place at the Indian Air Force (IAF) Yelahanka Air Base and is the largest air show in Asia. The largest Russian defense holdings have brought samples of their products to India. They will present at the exhibition new products that have been successfully used in combat during their military operations. With details - the military observer of "Gazeta.Ru" Mikhail Khodarenok from India.
More than 240 participants have registered for the Aero India exhibition, which is held every two years by the Indian Ministry of Defense in cooperation with various departments, indicating significant interest in the air show from both the Indian and international aerospace industries.
Leaders of the global aviation and defense industries from different countries traditionally take part in this exhibition. The Russian military-industrial complex is one of the largest participants in the air show.
Cooperation between Russia and India
Over the past six months, India's share in Russian arms and equipment exports has increased by 15%. In general, Russia has consistently remained India's main partner in the defense industry. Our countries are united by more than 200 joint defense projects.
"India is Russia's most important strategic partner in the Asia-Pacific region and one of Rosoboronexport's key partners in the world. Over the past 20 years alone, from 2005 to 2025, Rosoboronexport has signed contract documents with India for $50 billion, and the total volume of supplies of Russian military products to this country is about $80 billion," said Alexander Mikheev, Director General of Rosoboronexport.
However, it should be noted that India has recently shown some caution in matters of military-technical cooperation with Moscow.
The Pentagon assigns a special place to India in its new military strategy for the Indo-Pacific region. At the same time, Delhi, until very recently, looked more towards the United States and Europe than Russia.
Moscow recently lost several arms tenders. New Delhi has taken American Chinook military transport helicopters instead of Mi-26 helicopters. Instead of Mi-28N combat helicopters, American Apaches are used. The French Rafale won the MiG-35 fighter tender. India also bought American medium-sized military transport aircraft Hercules and C-17.
However, the United States never transfers any more or less serious technologies even to its closest allies. And according to the criterion of efficiency and cost, Russian weapons are still out of competition.
On December 8-10, 2024, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh paid a visit to Russia. In Kaliningrad, the head of the Indian military Department took part in the flag-raising ceremony on the frigate Tushil (translated from Hindi as "Shield Defender") of Project 11356 and the transfer of the ship to the Indian Navy. In 2025, Russia will transfer the eighth frigate of this class to India. After that, the ninth and tenth frigates will be built at an Indian shipyard with the technical assistance of the Russian side.
Rajnath Singh noted Russia's readiness to actively participate in the implementation of the Indian government's Atmanirbhar Bharat ("Self-sufficient India") initiative. "This is an example of India's path to technological excellence through collaboration," said the head of the Indian military department.
The Indian minister confirmed his determination to increase cooperation with Moscow "in new and unexplored areas."
"The friendship between our countries is higher than the highest mountain and deeper than the deepest ocean," Rajnath Singh emphasized during the talks in the Kremlin the meaning of the Russian-Indian "particularly privileged strategic partnership."
Concluding the conversation on military-technical cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi, a few words should be said about the relationship in the arms business between Russia and Pakistan. Islamabad is very, very interested in purchasing Russian weapons.
Ever since the Afghan War, Pakistan has had a deep respect for Russian, then-Soviet weapons. And in this regard, the question arises - is India jealous of Russia and Pakistan? By and large, it is normal when certain countries promote their equipment in all azimuths. And then the buyer chooses.
For example, France supplies weapons and military equipment to both India and Pakistan. It would seem that New Delhi should be straining. But the Indian side takes it quite calmly. Therefore, military-technical cooperation between Russia and Pakistan should not cause negative emotions in New Delhi.
What Russia presented at Aero India 2025
At Aero India 2025, more than 10 major Russian defense holdings are demonstrating modern Russian aircraft, helicopters, engines, air defense systems and complexes. In total, more than 500 products are presented to visitors and guests at the exposition of our country, located in Pavilion J.
The latest Russian fifth-generation Su-57E aircraft, which will take part in demonstration flights, is being demonstrated for the first time at the Yelakhanka Airbase. Today, the Su-57 is the only fifth-generation fighter in the world that has proven effective in combat against Western anti-aircraft missile systems. Russia expects great interest in this combat vehicle at the Bangalore Air Show. Moscow's proposals include the supply of ready-made aircraft, the organization of their joint production in India, as well as assistance in the development of the Indian fighter 5th generation.
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| A Russian Air Force Su-57 fighter jet at the Aero India 2025 International Exhibition at Yelahanka Air Force Base in Bangalore, February 9, 2025. |
| Source: Mikhail Khodarenok/Gazeta.Ru» |
Rosoboronexport is showing guided aircraft missiles at Aero India 2025, designed to be integrated into the 4++ and 5th generation fighter aircraft armament complexes, both Russian and foreign-made.
Among them are the RVV-MD2 and RVV-BD missiles that have proven their high effectiveness in real combat conditions for hitting air targets, the X-35UE for hitting warships and transport vessels, the X-38MLE for high-precision destruction of ground targets, the X-58USHKE anti-radar missile for hitting radiating radars of anti-aircraft missile systems and systems., as well as the new generation X-69 stealth cruise missile.
Almaz-Antey East Kazakhstan Region Concern JSC presents models of military assets from the S-400 Triumph long-range anti-aircraft missile system in Bangalore. During the armed conflict, the Triumph not only fully confirmed the tactical and technical requirements laid down in the creation of the system, but also significantly exceeded them. The S-400 shoots equally well at both air and ground targets (according to the latter, with very high accuracy).
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| S-400 "Triumph". |
| Source: MOD Russia/Global Look Press |
At the concern's stand, you can see models of short-range anti-aircraft missile systems of the Tor family: ABM Tor-M2KM in stationary and mobile versions, Tor-E2 on a tracked and Tor-M2K on a wheeled chassis.
They are designed for air defense of both important facilities and troops, including on the march, from attacks by aircraft, helicopters, cruise, anti-radar and other guided missiles, gliding and guided aerial bombs, as well as UAVs in difficult meteorological and interference conditions. The deployment time of these air defense systems from a marching position to a combat position is no more than three minutes. In its class, the Tor is distinguished by high mobility, ease of operation, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to fire on the move.
The holding's exposition features a model of a Typhoon-PVO(E) anti-aircraft gunners combat vehicle. It was created on the basis of the KAMAZ-4386 armored car and is designed to directly cover units from air attack in all types of combat, including on the march.
Typhoon-PVO(E) is equipped with an Aqueduct family radio station, Azimuth navigation equipment, and a machine gun with a sighting system for a Kord-type machine gun. The combat vehicle provides transportation of ammunition and five people: a squad commander, two anti-aircraft gunners, a machine gunner, and an electrician driver.
Visitors will also be able to see a model of the small-sized interference station MSP-418K, which is installed on MiG-29 aircraft. This station allows you to create individual and individually mutual active interference to electronic weapons controls. The integration of the SME-418K into other Russian and foreign-made aircraft is also possible.
For the first time, Almaz-Antey will provide information about the L203 active jamming station (Gardenia), which is designed to protect aircraft from damage by radio-controlled air-to-air and ground-to-air weapons.
In addition, at Aero India 2025 Almaz-Antey will demonstrate a model of a mobile set of repair and diagnostic equipment called Redic, which is designed to carry out maintenance and repair work on air defense weapons and military equipment in their locations.
Almaz-Antey East Kazakhstan Region Concern JSC is actively working with the Indian side on strengthening the air defense of Indian Navy ships. The concern's stand contains information about the Shtil-1, Resurs, and Rif-M sea-based air defense systems, the Moskit-E and Moskit-MVE shipboard missile weapon systems, and the Subtitle-24E electromagnetic compatibility equipment for shipboard radio equipment.
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| At the Aero India 2025 International Exhibition at Yelahanka Air Force Base in Bangalore, February 9, 2025. |
| Source: Mikhail Khodarenok/"Newspaper.Ru" |
Information on a wide range of radar weapons is also available at the concern's stand - radars Gamma-C1TE, Kasta-VME, Istra-E, Podlet-K1KE, Fourke-E, Vitim, Sunflower-E, 1L121E, 1L122E, 1L125E, multi-mode secondary radar "Questionnaire-E".
The Indian side may be interested in the ZSU-23-4 Shilka anti-aircraft self-propelled gun (in variants 4M4 and 4M5) and the modernization of the 2S6M Tunguska anti-aircraft cannon and missile system (ZPRK), which have long been in service with units and units of the Indian Armed Forces.
The opinion of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.
Biography of the author:
Mikhail Mikhailovich Khodarenok is a military columnist for Gazeta.Ru", retired colonel.
He graduated from the Minsk Higher Engineering Anti-Aircraft Missile School (1976), the Military Air Defense Command Academy (1986).
Commander of the S-75 anti-aircraft missile division (1980-1983).
Deputy commander of the anti-aircraft missile regiment (1986-1988).
Senior Officer of the General Staff of the Air Defense Forces (1988-1992).
Officer of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff (1992-2000).
Graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia (1998).
Columnist for Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2000-2003), editor-in-chief of the Military Industrial Courier newspaper (2010-2015).
Mikhail Khodarenok
