Ukraine crisis worries India
India called for elections and a dialogue between Ukraine and other countries involved in the crisis there but left unstated New Delhi's concern over Kiev's control of its military industrial complex, with which India has developed close ties.
Of immediate concern is the fate of some military equipment factories from where India is getting its entire fleet of medium military transport aircraft modernised. Another Ukrainian military facility provides engines for military helicopters of Russian origin, which account for a quarter of the world's medium, medium-heavy and heavy lift helicopters. India also has contracts for sourcing naval engines.
India had managed to strike deals with these companies as an alternative to Russia. It has in the past managed to play off the two countries and get the best possible deal.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon says six US F-15 fighter jets have arrived in Lithuania to bolster air patrols over the Baltics as the stand-off over Russia's military incursion into Ukraine continues. A US warship is also now in the Black Sea to participate in long-planned exercises.
The fighter jets and 60 US military personnel landed at Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania, adding to the four F-15s and 150 troops already there to do the air patrol mission.
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