India to Discuss Su-30 Fighter Upgrade with Russia

India plans to discuss the modernisation of the Russian-built Indian Air Force Su-30MKI aircraft during an upcoming military-technical cooperation meeting in Moscow.

The air force currently has about 105 Su-30MKIs, mainly deployed at airbases close to the Chinese border.

The Indian Defence Ministry said that Russia has offered an upgrade that will incorporate the latest technologies during the overhaul that is due for aircraft ordered in 1996.

The original IAF order comprised 50 Su-30MKI aircraft in 1996 and an additional 40 planes in 2007.

India’s Hindustan Aeronautics has also been asked to build 140 aircraft in India between 2003 and 2017 under a licenced production agreement.

India previously said it was satisfied with the performance of Russian Su-30MKI fighters, and has recently expressed interest in buying another 50 Su-30MKIs.

The ninth Russia-India intergovernmental commission meeting on military-technical cooperation will focus on the extension of the existing bilateral agreement on military-technical cooperation for another ten years, from 2011 to 2020.