Rosoboronexport and the Indian Ministry of Defence have signed an agreement on the delivery another consignment of Russia-made military transport Mi-17V-5 helicopters by 2015.

The agreement was signed during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India on December 24, 2012. The new consignment of Mi-17V-5 helicopters falls under a contract signed by the Defence Ministry of India and Rosoboronexport in 2008.

Furthermore, the visit of the Russian president to India resulted in the signing of a set of documents aimed at strengthening military-technical cooperation between Russia and India, including in helicopter manufacturing. India is a traditional buyer of Russian aircraft and presently has a fleet of 280 Russian-made helicopters. The Russian delegation accompanying President Putin expressed its confidence that Russia is capable of fulfilling India’s needs for both civil and military helicopters.

The Mi-17V-5 helicopters for the Indian Air Force are built by Kazan Helicopters, a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters. The Mi-17V-5 is one of the most advanced helicopters on the global marketplace, as well as in the Indian Air Force.

Today helicopters of the Mi-8/17 series are considered a symbol of the Russian aircraft manufacturing industry. The high level of interest in these rotorcraft is driven by the fact that they successfully employ the latest technological advances while also take advantage of experience gained in the use and operation of previous models. These modern helicopters, powered by the best engines and equipped with the latest avionics, have inherited the outstanding characteristics of their predecessors – superior reliability, simplicity and ease of use. The best in their class, these machines can fly a wide range of missions in conditions ranging from tropical and maritime climates to high altitude and desert environments.