India may extend $100-million defence line of credit to Kyrgyzstan: Media

AKIPRESS.COM - President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbai Jeenbekov is a surprise special guest at the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. The invite is another step up for bilateral ties that have been on an upward swing-Kyrgyzstan is sharing a request for defense equipment from India, taking the strategic relationship beyond the current level of bilateral exercises and the construction of a joint mountain warfare training center, India Times reported citing its sources.
India is likely to extend a line of credit to Kyrgyzstan to enable the transfer of defense equipment, with sources indicating that this could be valued to as much as $100 million.
Sources said three areas in particular have been identified by Kyrgyz defense teams that visited India over the past few months and a formal letter of request is being processed to take the acquisition ahead. The process will involve approvals from the ministry of external affairs. Given the commonality of equipment, the Kyrgyz military wants to procure simulators that have already been purchased by the Indian defense forces.
Sources said the request for equipment includes products made by the Hyderabadbased Zen Technologies. The company has a wide range of products for Russian equipment, including driving and gunnery crew equipment for T 72 and T 90 tanks, as well as for the BMP Infantry Combat Vehicles.