BANGALORE, February 14. /TASS/. The contract on supplies of 48 Russian Mi-17V5 helicopters to India is expected to be signed this year and the sides are in the final stage of coordinating the final terms of the deal, Deputy Director General of the Russian Helicopters holding company Igor Chechikov said on Tuesday.

"I’m referring to the supplies of 48 Mi-17V5 helicopters. The contract has been discussed for several years. We hope that it will be signed in the near future, this year. It is currently in the final stage and in fact, as I understand, this is only about the formal coordination," Chechikov said at the Aero India exhibition in India’s Bangalore.

Now India uses some 400 Mi-17 and 150 Mi-17V5 helicopters, he said. Earlier India’s defense minister announced plans to buy 48 Russia’s Mi-17 helicopters.

The Mi-17V-5 helicopters (Mi-8MTV-5) are designed for transporting personnel and for carrying cargo in the cabin or on the external sling. They can be used for search and rescue operations and also be equipped with weapons.