Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified Ukroboronprom's deputy director general of strategy. The position is held by Artur Kheruvymov.

GOA, India — In a very quiet move, Ukraine has launched an aggressive offensive against Russia to manage multiple overloaded armaments and weaponry which New Delhi acquired during the "Soviet era" and have become a liability for the Indian defense forces.

GOA, India — Ukraine has launched an aggressive effort to manage multiple overloaded armaments and weaponry that New Delhi acquired during the Soviet era and which have become a liability for the Indian defense forces.

Armed with the salutations of a government-level delegation (to negate the strains in the relationship between the two countries since Ukraine sold T-80 U tanks to Pakistan in the early 1990s) and with over a dozen defense companies showcasing new programs at Defexpo, Ukraine is attempting to embrace India and break the Russian monopoly on the Soviet-era platforms.

Perto Fedoruk, chief adviser to Ukraine's largest defense industry consortium, Ukroboronprom, said: "We are here now [in] India for the long term to manage Soviet-era headaches, which India cannot manage alone."

"For nearly a decade Russia has forcefully blocked our entry," Fedoruk said. "We have offered multiple solutions to give new life to Soviet-era weaponry [with Indian defense forces], as we are the original equipment manufacturer."

A senior Indian defense procurement official at Defexpo said that "Managing Soviet-era armaments with us is a big challenge and we are talking to everyone including Ukraine to overhaul and modernize," a senior Indian defense procurement official at Defexpo said.

According to a Ukrainian diplomat, "India cannot resolve the headaches of overloaded Soviet-era platforms without Ukraine."

× Transitioning out of the service? Sign up for the Rebootcamp Newsletter to receive helpful information on education, employment and entrepreneurship. Thanks for signing up. By giving us your email, you are opting in to the Rebootcamp Newsletter.

Nikolay Gordienko, head of Ukroboronprom naval projects, said: "India has now permitted us to participate in defense programs independently, and we are offering a new solution to manage and refit the Soviet-era aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov [renamed as INS Vikramaditya], which is 50 percent cheaper than the Russian offer."

The Indian Navy is evaluating a proposal by Ukraine for overhaul and maintenance of gas turbines used in Delhi-class warships and the carrier Admiral Gorshkov.

The Ukroboronprom deputy director general of strategy, Artur Kheruvymov, said India plans to organize a "joint military technical commission for providing service support for Soviet-era weaponry."

"In addition, the two countries are also planning to form joint ventures in India for upgradation and overhaul and manufacture of spares for Soviet-built air defense systems, including the Kvadrat, OSA-AKM Strela-1, Tunguska, Shilka, portable IGLA and Strela-2 systems," Kheruvymov said.

Ukraine is doing more than $100 million in annual defense business with India, and aims to increase it to $500 million in the next three years, he said.

Over 700 defense contracts related to the delivery of spares, repair and upgrade valued at over $2 billion were signed and completed in the last 10 years.

"We have now managed to make a breakthrough," according to the Ukrainian diplomat, who added: "India has now decided not to buy [the] electronic support measure system used to detect and track stealth aircraft and Vympel R-27 medium-range air-to-air missiles from us instead of from Russia."

Ukraine has also offered to collaborate with India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to jointly develop multiple rocket launcher systems with a range of 100 kilometers — similar to Russian Grad systems.

"In addition, we will also be developing a variety of new electronic warfare systems with DRDO and a partnership has been sealed recently," Fedoruk said.

Ukroboronprom is also sealing a partnership with state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to indigenize Russian T-90 main battle tanks and set up a facility to manufacture spares in India.