NEW DELHI: In a deal worth Rs 1400 crore India will soon receive one squadron (20 aircraft) MiG29 aircraft from Russia. One the crucial issue of how the money would be paid whether in hard currency or under some other arrangement defence authorities are tight-lipped.
Moreover with three Mirage 2000 aircraft already in France for major engine overhauls move is afoot to open Mirage overhauling line with Dassault company assistance at HAL in Bangalore. The project is estimated to cost Rs 500 crore in foreign exchange.
The MiG-29 deal will include 18 aircraft two trainers and the whole range of ground support equipment. This will form the fourth MiG-29 squadron all deployed in the western theater.
Both during defence minister Sharad Pawar and air chief marshal N.C.Suris Moscow visits in September and early November the issue of joint production and overhauling facilities of air superiority MiG-29 aircraft were discussed in details. Economics apart Kremlin in principle as a beginning has agreed to setting up an overhaul unit for the aircraft in India. This project has been estimated to cost about Rs 550 crore. Top sources however are unwilling to put a time-schedule for this program which in all probability may only fructify during the expected visit of Russian President Boris Yeltsin to India early next year. The benefits of having a MiG-29 aircraft overhaul unit are enormous. While Malaysia which has acquired the Russian MiG-29 has already evinced interest in getting support facilities from India [ran is a potential client in this field. The air chief Suri who is currently on an official visit to Teheran is expected to discuss the range of facilities which India may be able to offer once the joint-production of the aircraft gets going.
Joint-production of MiG-29 would be the next stage and is understood to have been suggested in the Moscow proposed defence cooperation. This implies that for the first time India would be dealing with Russia as an equal partner and not a client state it always has been. Joint production means sharing equally the finances joint research development and exports.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 4, 1992
