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Taking part in the meeting were Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov, Presidential Aide Vladimir Kozhin, Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Alexander Fomin, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Mikhail Fradkov, Rostec public corporation CEO Sergei Chemezov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Rosoboronexport CEO Anatoly Isaikin.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

This is the second time this year we are holding a meeting on military technology cooperation.

You know that the demand for end products and primarily technology and personnel training is increasing on the global arms market. Our military universities have recently held graduation ceremonies, and I have noticed many foreigners among the graduates, primarily, but not only from Background information Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) CSTO countries. This is a positive event, and we will continue doing this in future.

 We are working to achieve the goals set for 2016 in the area of military technology cooperation. The exports of Russian-made weapons and military equipment have reached $4.6 billion, and our contract portfolio is worth more than $50 billion.

Russian weapons and military equipment have proven efficient and reliable in vastly different conditions. We sell them to countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Importantly, the geography of these deliveries is gradually increasing, new intergovernmental agreements are signed and bilateral working groups created. However, we must continue working to enhance the effectiveness of our military technology cooperation, acting with greater accuracy and coordination. At the same time, we should remember that more energetic efforts in this area will undoubtedly increase competition.

In this context, I would like to express our gratitude to Russian arms exporters, who are working successfully in new realities, despite tough competition and sometimes unscrupulous actions of our opponents.

Russia is investing in the creation of modern defence technologies and expanding the range of its exports, from firearms to the latest air and naval command and control equipment that can change the balance of forces in any theatre.

We produce ever more effective weapons, which remain relatively simple in use and maintenance. This is demonstrated not only at exhibitions. Our potential customers can learn about our weapons’ characteristics during their use at test ranges, at airfields and on the seas. We should continue to highlight the demonstration of our weapon manufacturers’ achievements, promote Russian-made equipment and develop more convenient customer relations.

Other important elements of military technology cooperation are post-sale maintenance based on a modern system of relations with foreign customers and the timely delivery of spare parts.

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