India to buy 250-300 fighter jets from Russia: minister
Saturday, 9 October 2010
NEW DELHI, OCT 8 (AFP): India has agreed to buy up to 300 advanced stealth fighter jets from Russia that it will help jointly develop and manufacture, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Thursday.
Antony told a press conference with his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov that Russia would supply the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) as well as 45 multi-role transport aircraft.
Hindustan Aeronautic Ltd (HAL) and Russia's United Aircraft Corp and Rosoboronexport signed a joint venture last month to develop the multi-role transport aircraft in a project worth 645 million dollars.
Serdyukov said previous success in the co-production of the BrahMos cruise missile would spur the FGFA's joint development by India's HAL and Russia's state-owned Sukhoi Company over the next 10 years.
Indian Defence Production Secretary R.K. Singh said the costing would be worked out in stages.
The draft agreement is likely to be signed during a trip to India by President Dmitry Medvedev in December.
Moscow is New Delhi's largest military supplier but recent frictions over cost escalations and delays in the delivery of a refurbished Russian aircraft carrier have strained cosy bilateral ties.
The minister also said Russia was waiting for New Delhi's clearance to supply 22 attack helicopters and 15 heavylift helicopters.
India plans to mothball its mainstay MiG-21 Soviet-era fighter jets, which have earned the sobriquet "flying coffins" because of their dismal safety record.
India is also in the process of acquiring 270 Sukhoi war jets worth 12 billion dollars and is poised to hand out a contract for 126 fighter planes as part of a separate 12-billion dollar deal for which six global aeronautical giants are in the race.
The announcement of the FGFA agreement came a day day after Antony, in a clear reference to China, warned of the danger posed by regional "neighbours" who were building their military capabilities at a "feverish" pace.
Antony told a press conference with his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov that Russia would supply the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) as well as 45 multi-role transport aircraft.
Hindustan Aeronautic Ltd (HAL) and Russia's United Aircraft Corp and Rosoboronexport signed a joint venture last month to develop the multi-role transport aircraft in a project worth 645 million dollars.
Serdyukov said previous success in the co-production of the BrahMos cruise missile would spur the FGFA's joint development by India's HAL and Russia's state-owned Sukhoi Company over the next 10 years.
Indian Defence Production Secretary R.K. Singh said the costing would be worked out in stages.
The draft agreement is likely to be signed during a trip to India by President Dmitry Medvedev in December.
Moscow is New Delhi's largest military supplier but recent frictions over cost escalations and delays in the delivery of a refurbished Russian aircraft carrier have strained cosy bilateral ties.
The minister also said Russia was waiting for New Delhi's clearance to supply 22 attack helicopters and 15 heavylift helicopters.
India plans to mothball its mainstay MiG-21 Soviet-era fighter jets, which have earned the sobriquet "flying coffins" because of their dismal safety record.
India is also in the process of acquiring 270 Sukhoi war jets worth 12 billion dollars and is poised to hand out a contract for 126 fighter planes as part of a separate 12-billion dollar deal for which six global aeronautical giants are in the race.
The announcement of the FGFA agreement came a day day after Antony, in a clear reference to China, warned of the danger posed by regional "neighbours" who were building their military capabilities at a "feverish" pace.