Russian President Vladimir Putin could announce a contract worth seven billion dollars on military equipment delivery to India, including Sukhoi fighter jets, according to sources in the Ministry of Defence.
During Putin’s visit to India on December 24, the two countries will announce the contract for 42 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets, manufactured by Irkut Corp., part of United Aircraft Corporation, and approximately 1,000 military aircraft engines type AL-31, to be delivered by 2030, according to three sources who asked not to be identified because the information is not official yet. Spokesman of Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, declined to comment.
The main customer for Russian military equipment is India, which tries to counter the rise of China, even through an alliance with its traditional rival, Pakistan. Vladimir Putin has focused his efforts to remove competition contracts coming from American and European manufacturers, according to Bloomberg website.
“These will be truly historical deals if signed. I don’t remember a contract for 1,000 engines at all and deals for over 40 planes happen twice in a decade,”
said yesterday Konstantin Makiyenko, the deputy head of the Moscow-based Center for the Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST).
Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs could not be reached for comment. Vyacheslav Davidenko, spokesman for Rosoboronexport, the Russian national arms exporter, also refused any comment.
Russian defense industry exports exceeded $14 billion this year, well above the target set by the government, Vladimir Putin announced. In addition he added that Russia has signed new contracts worth $15 billion in 2012.
Anatoly Serdyukov, a former defense minister, said on October 10 that Russia signed a contract which provides for the delivery of 42 Sukhoi aircraft by the end of this year to India, reported RIA Novosti. So far, India has received about 15 defense aircraft according to CAST estimates. Russia already delivered around 150 fighter jets to India.
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