Moscow: Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov today left for New Delhi on a three day visit to sort out the hiccups in bilateral defence cooperation and review the progress in several joint projects, including on the development of the fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA).

Serdyukov's New Delhi visit will begin a series of high level parleys ahead of the Indo Russian summit in December, when President Dmitry Medvedev is scheduled to visit India.

The delay in the upgradation and delivery of Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier and whopping price asked by Russia in addition to the original USD 750 million is to figure prominently tomorrow at the eighth annual session of the Inter governmental commission co chaired by Defence Minister A K Antony and Serdyukov.

India is likely to take up the issue of another major defence project for the joint development and production of multi role transport aircraft (MTA) for the defence services.

The project is facing serious difficulties due to reorganisation of the Russian aircraft industry and original signatory of the deal Irkut Corporation has passed it to Ilyushin design bureau, which virtually has no designers left with it.

Source : PTI