India, Czech Republic in talks on strategic defence ties: Czech Ambassador

livemint.com:

New Delhi: India and the Czech Republic are in talks to enhance defence cooperation, leveraging the shared utilization of Soviet and Russian-made defense platforms between the two nations. The discussions center on the possibility of Czech defense firms providing maintenance services, spares, and equipment to the Indian Army and Air Force, Eliska Zigova, Czech Republic’s Ambassador to India, said in an interview. “We understand that India has had a lot of cooperation in the past with the Soviet Union’s defense industry.

And the same was true with the erstwhile Czechoslovakia. So, we have a lot of knowledge about Soviet weaponry. One way that our companies propose to work with India is to help us maintain spare parts, and with the modernization of this weaponry and common platforms," Zigova said.

The Czech government is interested in facilitating discussions between the Czech defense ministry’s intergovernmental defense cooperation agency, and India’s defense ministry, she added. The possibility for such a collaboration has increased since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. Russia’s defence industry, traditionally India’s primary supplier, has faced challenges due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, leading to delays in defence cooperation.

Consequently, India has been diversifying its sources for defense equipment to lower its dependence on Russia. Both sides are interested in enhancing security ties, Zigova said, asserting her government's stand. “Both partners underline the importance of innovations in defence, and are satisfied with the existing connections among their entities in these areas.