India Likely to Buy More Carrier Borne Mig-29K Fighters
Indian Government News | Sep 26, 2008
India is to buy 30 more carrier borne Mig-29K (Fulcrum-D) fighters for the Indian navy and an agreement to this effect would be firmed up during the upcoming visit of Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov’s to India next week.
Serdyukov’s tour here at the head of a high level officials and industry delegation is also likely to pave the way for signing of the new contract for acquisition and delivery of the carrier Admiral Gorshkov, according to top officials in Moscow.
Russians have demanded a price escalation of USD 2 Billion almost double the original contract cost of USD 2.5 billion for refurbishing the 45,000 tonne carrier, including carrying out its elaborate sea trials in Russian waters, prior to its delivery by 2012.
“Negotiations on the supply of additional batch of MiG-29K fighters would form part of the agenda,” Top Russian industry sources said.
India proposes to operate the fresh Mig-29K Fighters on its indigenous carrier being built at Kochi shipyard.
“The negotiations on the Admiral delivery will end sooner or later and we hope in the near future to start talks on additional delivery of MiG-29K fighters to India,” President of United Aircraft Corporation Alexei Fedorov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.
Under the 2004 contract for the acquisition of Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, India is to receive 12 single-seater MiG-29K and four two-seater MiG-29KUB by next year, with an option of ordering additional 30 fighters by 2015.
According to earlier reports, powerful Cabinet Committee on security is said to have cleared the acquisition of additional MiG-29K fighters, which would become the mainstay of the Indian Navy’s carrier fleet.
However, ahead of the crucial Indo-Russian talks, Russian officials have raised doubts about the delivery of the carrier even by 2012.
According to the Chief of Russia’s State Technology Corporation, Sergei Chemezov, it was “premature” to talk about a deadline for the Admiral Gorshkov delivery.
State arms exporter Rosoboronexport, with which the Gorshkov and other defence deals were signed, is now part of the State Technology Corporation.
“The evaluation of additional work on Admiral Gorshkov modernization has not been done yet and it is too early to hold talk about its completion,” Chemezov was reported to have said.
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Related Article-1:
Navy seeks six more diesel submarines after Scorpene
New Delhi, Sept 26 (PTI) India has initiated the process of acquiring six more submarines on the lines of the under-construction Scorpenes to augment its underwater warfare capabilities.
“The Navy has initiated the process of acquisition of six more diesel-electric submarines and has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to major manufacturers across the globe,” top Defence Ministry sources told PTI today.
“The Defence Ministry will now await responses from these companies and will follow it up with global tenders or Request for Proposals (RFP) next year,” they said.
In all, Navy plans to procure 30 new submarines to have formidable underwater fighting capabilities.
India already has 16 submarines of the Russian Kilo and German HDW Shishumar Class.
Among the countries from where India is seeking information are France, Russia and Italy, all with major submarine manufacturing capabilities.
The new submarines would be procured as a follow-on of the six Scorpene submarines being built at the Defence Public Sector Undertaking shipyard, Mazagon Dockyards Limited (MDL), in Mumbai.
“The additional six submarines will start joining the Indian Navy fleet after all the first set of six Scorpenes have joined the naval fleet,” the sources said. PTI
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Related Article-2:
Russia to start MiG fighter deliveries to India in spring 2009
20:11 | 29/ 09/ 2008
NEW DELHI, September 29 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will start deliveries of MiG-29K Fulcrum-D carrier fighters to India in the spring of 2009, the aircraft manufacturer’s marketing director said Monday. (MiG-29 K/KUB fighters for India - Image gallery)
Russia and India signed a contract on January 20, 2004, stipulating the delivery of 12 single-seat MiG-29K and four two-seat MiG-29KUB by 2009, to be deployed on the Admiral Gorshkov, currently being retrofitted in Russia for the Indian Navy.
“The first four MiG-29K aircraft will be delivered to India in the spring of 2009,” Mikhail Globenko said, adding that the remaining 12 jets would be delivered “by the fall.”
The MiG official said there was an option in the contract to supply an additional 30 fighters by 2015 and the company was in talks with the Indian navy on exercising this option.
“We are ready [to exercise this option] and it all now depends on the Indian side,” Globenko said.
He also said that Indian pilots started Monday a five-month training course for MiG-29K in Russia and technical personnel had already been training in Russia for two months.
“By the time the first aircraft arrive in India, their pilots and technicians will be ready,” the Russian official said.
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