India and Russia to boost trade and economic ties

India and Russia, hoping to boost their trade and economic ties that remain below potential, despite decades-old strong political ties, today gave shape to joint “economic vision” package including possibility of joining a Customs Union in Eurasian region and increasing trade via Iran that will be unveiled when President Vladimir Putin visits India in December second week.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Rogozin held brainstorming session to finalise the joint “economic vision” package, sources indicated.

This was Rogozin’s second visit to India in five months since the BJP-led NDA government came to power. The two leaders met for the 20th India-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC).

Swaraj and Rogzin decided to set a Joint Study Group for the proposed agreement between India and the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation for trade in goods and services. Besides they also decided to increase bilateral trade through the International North South Corridor Project (INSTC) that runs through Iran particularly in agriculture and food processing industry.

Russian Helicopters saves 70 million roubles with lean technology pilot projects

Officials at Russian Helicopters, part of State Corporation Rostec in Moscow, implemented lean technology across the company’s production in 2013 and have found that the lean technology pilot projects delivered a saving of roughly 70 million roubles last year.

Lean technology is a strategy that minimises the volume of energy and material losses in the production process. Russian Helicopters comprises major industrial enterprises across the country. Efficiency and economy in production are two of the key strategies aiming to reduce outlays.

Lean projects are underway in virtually all Russian Helicopters’ enterprises. At Rostvertol, the lean technology group has implemented several projects since 2011, such as the 5S approach to organizing the workplace, the SMED system for reducing time taken in equipment changeovers, the Kanban scheduling system for production and procurement, and implementing the TPM approach to maintaining and improving equipment that involves identifying flaws early.

Russian Defense Ministry to test caterpillar, wheeled vehicles in Arctic in winter

Russian Defense Ministry’s specialists this winter will test the modern and future samples of military caterpillar and wheeled vehicles in the Arctic conditions, Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov said on Thursday.

He said the tests will be conducted by the Automotive Research and Testing Center (ARTC) of the ministry’s 3rd Central Research Institute.

“The Defense Ministry’s expedition will check the performance, technical characteristics and possibilities of field use of modern and prospective samples of military caterpillar and wheeled vehicles in the conditions of low air temperatures and high humidity,” he said. “We need to understand the directions of the samples’ technical upgrading and get the experience of the equipment use in the Arctic zone missions.”

Yota Devices received security certificate FSB on YotaPhone 2 smartphone

Russian Yota Devices has received a security certificate FSB on the smartphone YotaPhone 2, which will be presented at the end of 2014, and is in the process of certification for a more secure standard – KS2 , said the CEO of Yota Devices, Vladislav Martynov. Certification class KS1 allows the use of government hardware and software cryptography to encrypt data that does not contain a state secret.

“in fact, after receiving the certificate KS2, which protect against attacks by professional hackers and hacking security services, we will have the most secure smartphone on the Russian market from unauthorized wiretapping and interception of traffic. Foreign manufacturers are unlikely to receive KS2, because their products are denied access to the software and circuitry, and there is no official support of the Russian cryptographic protection,” said Martynov.

According to Martynov, certification KS1 ensures that access to the encryption keys is impossible without a decoder. Protection is achieved by the installation of the smartphone additional software ViPNet Client for Android, which encrypts network traffic smartphone or tablet and allows you to intercept e-mails, passwords and other data. Additional security is provided by a number of other applications: SafePhone (system protection with centralized management), MobileSputnik (secure access to corporate files and resources secure access to corporate files), CellRox (protected division between personal and corporate profiles).

French Ministry of Defense is committed to perform the contract for delivery of Mistrals to Russia

French Ministry of Defense is committed to perform the contract for delivery of Mistral assault ships to Russia, Gazeta.ru reports with reference to a source from French delegation at Euronaval exhibition.

«French government and Ministry of Defense have different opinions on performance of the contract for delivery of Mistral assault ships to Russia», — the source said.

Nevertheless, according to the source, French Ministry of Defense is committed to perform the contract.

Earlier head of State Duma’s Defense Committee, Admiral Vladimir Komoedov, suggested claiming cancelation fee in case French party will not deliver the Mistral helicopter carrier to Russia on November 14th 2014.

Dmitry Rogozin confirmed that discussing installation of GLONASS stations in USA makes no sense

Deputy Chairman of the government of Russian Federation Dmitry Rogozin agreed that discussing installation of GLONASS stations in USA makes no sense, Gazeta.ru reports.

«Under conditions of the sanctions US party is not going to discuss the matter», — Rogozin noted. He added that in response to this decision some technical solutions were implemented making GPS stations installed in Russia no longer suitable for military use.

«We do not want to deny our users the opportunity to use both GLONASS and GPS systems», — he said.

At the same time Russia and China agreed on using GLONASS and Beidou (China) satellite navigation systems.

Russia offered China to join IAC

Russia offered China to join Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) in order to ease the certification of aircraft developed by the countries under joint projects. This initiative is being considered, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government, Dmitry Rogozin told ITAR-TASS.

He reminded that China and Russia have a joint project for development of a long-haul airliner. “One of the most important questions is where will we certify it and how long will it take to complete the certification process? Whether the aircraft will be certified in Russia by IAC or will it receive Chinese certification?

We offered China to join IAC and solve the problem connected with certification of this liner and other aircraft. This offer is being considered”, – Rogozin noted.

UAC is ready to start deliveries of Tu-204SM aircraft provided that the deliveries will be subsidized

United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) is ready to start production and deliveries of Tu-204SM aircraft to Russian carriers provided that the deliveries will be subsidized. It was stated by the vice-president of UAC, Alexander Tulyakov, at the meeting of Committees of the Federation Council dedicated to the State Program “Development of the aircraft industry 2013-2025”, Novosti Krima reports.

Ministry of Transport of Crimea started the physical stocktaking of roads on the peninsula. «We could have started deliveries of these vehicles provided that the difference between the jet’s market value and the cost of production is subsidized», – he said.

Tulyakov explained that today “potential customers believe that the price of this jet is too high because of its configuration and limited production».

«We see an opportunity for potential deliveries of Tu-204SM jets to Russian airlines, first of all this refers to operating these liners on flights to Crimea and other regions of Russia», – he added. Earlier Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Yuri Slusar said that 11 Tu-204SM may be manufactured for Red Wings in the near-term.