BANGALORE /India/, February 3. /TASS/. Russia and India continue developing military and technical cooperation, despite the coronavirus pandemic, Deputy Director of Russia’s Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation and Head of the Russian Delegation Vladimir Drozhzhov said on Wednesday.

"When restrictions are in place, this affects our interaction but we are finding ways how to overcome them. We are holding video conferences, maintaining correspondence and giving powers to our representatives who are in India. We are seeking to find ways and directions to ensure that these restrictions do not particularly affect our interaction," he said on the sidelines of the Russian-Indian military and industrial conference held on Wednesday as part of the Aero India 2021 international aerospace show that opened in Bangalore.

The aerospace show in Bangalore is the first international exhibition where Russia is taking part this year. The restrictions related to the pandemic won’t have a strong impact on bilateral cooperation, the Russian defense official said.

Russia supports the Make in India and Self-Reliant India programs launched by New Delhi to develop the joint production of defense products on Indian soil, the Russian defense official said.

"We believe that this is a very good direction. I can say that Russia is the sole foreign country that is cooperating with India in the transfer of armament technologies. We are ready not only to sell modern types of armament and military hardware but also to transfer modern technologies related to its production, repair and upgrade," Drozhzhov added.

Minister-Counsellor of the Russian Embassy in India Roman Babushkin told journalists on Wednesday that Russia’s participation in the exhibition "is an important new stage in developing bilateral technical cooperation" and filled the gap in contacts that "was observed in 2020 amid the pandemic."

Aero India is India’s largest aerospace show. This year, it is running in the city of Bangalore on February 3-5. Russia is featuring over 200 military exhibits at the Aero India 2021 aerospace show.