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India wants to buy 50 more Su-30 fighters from Russia

By on Monday, October 5th, 2009

MOSCOW: India wants to buy another 50 Sukhoi-30MKI multi-role fighters, an Indian daily reported on Friday.

According to The Times of India, the 50 air-superiority fighters will come on top of the 230 already contracted from Russia in three deals worth a total of $8.5 billion.

The paper quoted Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Marshal P V Naik as saying his force was indeed "interested" in acquiring more Sukhois, which will be "the mainstay of India's fighter fleet for the foreseeable future, to further enhance its combat potential."

He stressed, however, that the acquisition was not "country or adversary-specific."

India previously said it was satisfied with the performance of Russian Su-30MKI fighters.

The IAF originally ordered 50 Su-30MKI aircraft from Russia in 1996-98 and an additional 40 planes in 2007. Hindustani Aeronautics (HAL) was also contracted to build 140 aircraft in India between 2003 and 2017 under a licensed production agreement.

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