Amid Border Skirmish With China, India Purchases 21 MiG-29s, 12 MKI Aircraft From Russia

The Ministry of Defence noted that acquisition of new/additional missile systems will add to the fire power of three Services

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing heated face-off with neighbouring China, India has decided to strengthen its aerial power by expanding arms and fighter aircrafts. For the same, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Thursday approved the proposal to buy 33 new fighter jets from Russia. According to the reports, the Indian Air Force for some weeks now was rigorously working on drafting the proposal worth over Rs 38,900 Crores. This was reportedly fast tracked and placed for approval before the Defence Ministry during a high-level meeting. Reviewing the proposal on Thursday, the ministry approved Indian Air Force request to buy 33 new fighter aircrafts from Russia. These will include 12 Sukhoi 30 MKI and 21 Mig-19 fighter jets. The aerial defence had also requested centre to buy the entire lot of equipment associated with the fighter planes in an apparent bid to prevent the issue of spares in the future.

DAC approves capital acquisition of various platforms & equipment worth Rs 38,900 crore; https://t.co/2buChC48K4 @DefenceMinIndia @rajnathsingh @RajnathSingh_in @IAF_MCC @drajaykumar_ias @indiannavy @adgpi @PIB_India @DRDO_India

— ADG (M&C) DPR (@SpokespersonMoD) July 2, 2020

According to a statement given by the ministry, the MIG 29 procurement and upgradation from Russia is estimated to cost Rs 7,418 crore, while the Su-30 MKI will be procured from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at an estimated cost of Rs 10,730 crore. Further in the meeting, it was noted that focused will be on indigenous design and development. This is why these approvals include acquisitions from Indian industry of Rs 31,130 crore. The defence ministry observed that the equipment are going to be manufactured in India involving Indian defence industry with participation of several MSMEs as prime tier vendors. "The indigenous content in some of these projects is up to 80 per cent of the project cost. A large number of these projects have been made possible due to Transfer of Technology (ToT) by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to the indigenous industry. These include Pinaka ammunitions, BMP armament upgrades and software defined radios for the Indian Army, Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile Systems and Astra Missiles for the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force (IAF). The cost of these design and development proposals is in the range of Rs 20,400 crore," government said, as quoted in the release. "Acquisition of new/additional missile systems will add to the fire power of three Services," the statement said. While acquisition of Pinaka missile systems will enable raising additional regiments over and above the ones already inducted, addition of Long Range Land Attack Missile Systems having a firing range of 1,000 kilometres to the existing arsenal will bolster the attack capabilities of the Navy and the Air Force. Similarly induction of Astra Missiles having Beyond Visual Range capability will serve as a force multiplier and immensely add to the strike capability of the Navy and Air Force. The expansion and upgradation bid has come at the time when India and China are engaged in aggravated border disputes. The clashes escalated when two countries locked horns in violent face-off in Galwan valley along Line of Actual Control, in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.