Russian Helicopters and IRHL sign a roadmap agreement on Ka-226T
Palak Gupta
Lucknow: Russian Helicopters and Indo-Russian Helicopters Limited (IRHL) signed a roadmap on Ka-226T to discuss further steps and keep things moving forward on second day of the show.
India and Russia had signed an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) for 200 Ka-226T helicopters in October 2015. More than four years later no contract has been signed yet. According to CEO of Indo-Russian Helicopters Limited (IRHL) Madayi Nakkady Shrinath, the delay in signing of the contract can be attributed to the clarification sought by ministry of defence (MoD) on the percentage of indigenous content.
Explaining the nuances of the agreement, Shrinath said that there are four phases in which these helicopters will be procured. In Phase 0, 60 Ka-226T will be procured in fly-away condition, hence zero indigenous content (IC). However, in the first phase there will be 13.3 per cent IC. The second phase will have 15 per cent, the third phase will have 35 per cent and the fourth phase will have 62.41 per cent indigenous content.
Incorporated in May 2017, IRHL which will be producing Ka-226T is a JV of Russian Helicopters, Rosoboronexport and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). HAL holds 50.5 per cent in the JV, the Russian share is 49.5 per cent.
Under the IGA, the Russian partners are responsible for localisation of the helicopter production in India, ‘except for foreign produce (engine etc)’. The Kamov 226T uses an engine made by French major Safran.
According to Shrinath, there will be a complete transfer of technology (ToT) in manufacturing rotors of aircraft. Ka-226T will be manufactured in India at HAL’s newly-set up plant at Tumkuru, near Bengaluru.
“DefExpo provides an excellent opportunity to discuss further steps in developing our cooperation. Besides the project aimed at localising the Ka-266T helicopter production, such as the supply of new civilian helicopters and maintenance and repair of previously delivered rotorcraft are becoming increasingly important, said Igor Chechikov, head of the Russian Helicopters delegation, deputy director general of the Russian Helicopters Holding Company for Aftersales Service.