Russia should increase its share of the world's arms market, especially with high-tech products, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.
"We must retain and consolidate our leading positions here," he said, adding that the value of Russian arms exports has been growing at a rate of $500-700 million a year.
It is also of critical importance to protect Russia's intellectual property rights, he said.
"We must force off the market unscrupulous competitors who are trying to appropriate the rights to our arms brands," Putin said.
Russia factors in all potential security risks in regions to which it supplies weapons, he said, adding that "we take a very careful view of the existing balance of forces and never take steps that could affect this balance."
NOVO-OGARYOVO, November 3 (RIA Novosti)
