AP,
BOLSTERED by continued demand from its best customers – India and China – Russian arms sales grew by 20 per cent to $US5.4 billion ($7.47 billion) last year, a post-Soviet record, according to a report issued today by the state weapons trading company Rosoboronexport.
President Vladimir Putin has made boosting arms exports a top priority for his government and has called for tighter export controls on weapons-related technologies and military equipment to ensure Russia's niche in international arms markets is not threatened by foreign competitors.
Russia exported weapons worth a total of $US4.8 billion ($6.64 billion) in 2002.
Russian weapons industries have come to depend on foreign customers after orders from the cash-strapped Russian military ground to a near halt following the 1991 Soviet collapse.
Though Russia has become one of the world's top arms exporters after the US and Britain in recent years, the country's arms sales are only a fraction of the approximately $US20 billion ($27.67 billion) a year exported by the Soviet Union during the 1980s.
Nikolai Novichkov, editor in chief of Arms Tass, the military technical information division of ITAR-Tass, and a correspondent for Jane's Defence Weekly, said that China accounted for 56 per cent of Russia's exports while India bought about 18 per cent.
“Russian arms are cheaper than American or European analogues but have good reliability,” Mr Novichkov said.
Russia has been aggressively promoting its weapons in South-East Asia and last year's figures were significantly boosted by the purchase of 18 Sukhoi SU-30 MKM fighters by Malaysia for an estimated $US900 million ($1.25 billion). Also, Indonesia agreed to buy two Sukhoi-30s, two Sukhoi-27s, and two MI-35 assault helicopters through a counter-trade deal worth $US192.6 million ($266.48 million).
Alex Vatanka, a Russia expert at Jane's Sentinel in London, said the sales increase was in line with Russia's aim of becoming the No 2 exporter worldwide.
“It goes hand in hand with the Putin administration's pursuit of what they call the multipolar world order, to essentially say to Washington: 'We will not listen to you dictate every single item on the agenda. We have our own interests',” he said.
Rosoboronexport issued its statement ahead of the Farnborough air show, which begins on Monday in Britain. The aviation and space industry accounts for 70 per cent of total exports, the company said.
The arms exporter will display the wares of 50 Russian defence companies at the week-long event, at which over 1000 companies from different countries are expected to participate.
More than 180 pieces of military equipment will be displayed at the Rosoboronexport stall in the form of models, posters and advertising equipment; 30 of the items will be displayed for the first time.
While data on the famed Sukhoi family of fighter planes will be on hand for visitors, the company has said that no military planes will take part in aerial shows since its key markets are in India and Asia.
The Soviet Union first participated in the Farnborough airshow in 1982, when it displayed civilian aircraft. Soviet military aircraft first went on display in 1988.
