Russia Cooperates With 76 Countries In Military Technology
Russia Cooperates With 76 Countries In Military Technology
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MOSCOW, November 1 (Itar-Tass) - Russia cooperates with seventy-six countries in the field of military technology, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov told the newspaper “Izvestyaâ€. The latter published his interview in its Tuesday issue.
“The list of those countries is topped by India and China,†the minister noted. “Our total export of military hardware amounted to more than 5.7 billion U.S. dollars last year,†he added. A decision to export any armaments is made after due consideration at top government level, he pointed out. “Not a single contract can be signed to the detriment of the interests of Russia’s national security. This principle is clearly formulated In the Concept of state policy in the field of military-technologic cooperation between Russia and the Foreign States, which covers a period of up to 2010. Moreover, the export of weapons is an important additional source of hard currency for the country’s budget,†the minister stressed.
Ivanov noted that practically every concluded contract includes the production and sometimes even development of new technology with due account of the requirements of each individual client. The requirements of the Russian Armed Forces are satisfied by means of the so-called State Defence Order, which is growing from year to year. “It topped the total cost of export deliveries for the first time this year, amounting to more than five billion U.S. dollars. Therefore, it is absolutely wrong to say that export of armaments enjoys absolute priority over our own requirements,†Ivanov stated.
Deliveries of armaments and provision of different military services remain among the key items of Russian export trade along with the sale of energy, the Russian defence minister noted.
