India’s Ministry of Defence on Thursday signed off on the acquisition of thirty-three Russian fighter jets and upgrades to fifty-nine others value $2.4bn, amid rising tensions with nuclear-armed neighbor China. The acquisition of twenty-one MiG-29 and twelve Su-30 MKI, still as upgrades to fifty-nine existing MiG-29s, was to “augment” the Indian Air Force’s combat squadrons, the MoD said. The ministry conjointly same it’s approved native development of missile systems for all 3 branches of the military, and ammunition and upgraded army unit combat vehicles for the military. The beefing of India’s defence capabilities was haunted thanks to “the have to be compelled to strengthen the defense force to guard our borders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s entail ‘self-reliant India’”, the ministry side in an exceeding statement.
The announcement followed Modi’s telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, whom he “warmly congratulated” once a nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that might permit him to increase his rule till 2026. India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Russian capital last month to attend the seventy-fifth Victory Day Parade, which marks the Soviet triumph over Third Reich in war II. In 2018, the 2 nations signed AN accord for the availability of S-400 Russian missile system in an exceedingly deal value $5.4bn despite the threat folks sanctions. Bharat is awaiting the arrival of the primary batch of thirty-six Rafale fighter jets ordered as a part of AN $8.78bn deal signed with France in 2016 in “ready to fly” condition, which means they’re going to be created in France.
