Western publications report major Russian failures in India and China
As a representative of the Indian Ministry of Defense told the publication on condition of anonymity, the government of this country allegedly froze negotiations with Rosoboronexport and the original equipment manufacturer Russian Helicopters on the acquisition of the first batch of Ka-31 in the amount of 10 units.
The publication writes that the alleged freezing of the intergovernmental agreement is allegedly related to concerns about Russia’s ability to fulfill the order, as well as problems related to payment transfers.
The suspension could also be due to geopolitical pressure on New Delhi as the country is pressured by the West to join sanctions against Russia, according to Amit Kaushish, a former financial adviser to India's procurement ministry. Budgetary constraints may also be a factor, as India prefers to buy indigenously developed helicopters.
To recap, India decided to buy Ka-31 helicopters from Russia in May 2019, but the acquisition program faced inordinate delays due to the coronavirus pandemic and the high cost of the platform. Negotiations resumed in February 2022 after participants agreed on a price of $520 million for 10 Ka-31 helicopters, but the effort hit another hurdle when officials were unable to agree on a rupee-ruble exchange mechanism.
The Indian Navy had planned to use Ka-31 helicopters for the country's second aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, which will be commissioned in July. The Indian Navy currently operates 14 Ka-31 helicopters, which were introduced into service gradually - four in 2003, five in 2005 and five in 2013.
Another Western publication, the Washington Post, writes that in March, after the US anti-Russian sanctions came into force, the export of Chinese high-tech products to Russia sharply decreased. The publication refers to data from US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and characterizes it as a sign of Beijing’s caution about violating trade bans.
As noted in the Washington Post, Chinese shipments of laptops to Russia in March fell by 40 percent compared to February, and exports of smartphones fell by two-thirds, the American minister told the publication, citing the latest data on Chinese exports.
Gina Raimondo also added that exports of telecommunications network equipment from China to the Russian Federation fell by 98 percent.
At the same time, the publication notes, the US export bans did not apply to blocking sales of consumer goods, such as smartphones and laptops, to Russia. But some Chinese companies, out of caution, have stopped supplying electronic goods to Russia altogether.
Raimondo also noted that Beijing does not intend to break the rules for fear of related US sanctions, which could include limiting technology sales to Chinese companies.
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