RECENTLY INDIA AND RUSSIA SIGNED A DEAL FOR ANOTHER 42 SUKHOI COMBAT PLANES

                        India signed a fresh agreement with Russia for the licensed production of 42 Sukhoi fighters for which Russians will provide technical and equipment support. The deal was among five pacts signed after delegation-level talks between visiting India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

                       The agreement was signed by Indian Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma, who is a part of the Prime Minister’s delegation, and Russian Federal Service for Military Technical Co-Operation Director M.A. Dmitriev.

                        India had signed an agreement with Russia as India wanted to buy 50 twin-seater Sukhois off-the-shelf in the mid 1990s, and Russia delivered them in the beginning of 1997.

                        In 2000, the two sides had signed another deal for licensed production of 140 Su-30MKIs by Defence Public Sector undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

                        In 2007, a protocol was envisaged for manufacture of a further 40 Sukhois. The present Protocol envisaged manufacture of an additional 42 air craft by HAL, taking the total Sukhois for the IAF to 272 Planes.

                        So, India is increasing its strength day by day. This is obviously a very good sign. They have realized the importance of  strong fighter Planes and they are implementing their plans to strengthen the Indian Air Force (IAF) quite nicely.