Indian Air Force (IAF) has submitted a proposal to acquire 33 new Russian fighter aircrafts. The proposal includes 21 MiG-29s and 12 Su-30MKIs, according to Indian media.
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ANI news quoted a government source saying that the IAF has been considering this plan for a while, but the process has been fat-tracked. According to the same source, this proposal is estimated at approximately $800 million.
The source added that after the IAF lost several aircrafts in different accidents, there is now the need to replace them with the twelve Su-30MKI fighters . As for the 33 MiG-29 aircrafts to be purchased, they are slightly different from the ones that pilots of IAF are familiar with.
The proposal to buy new Russian fighter aircrafts comes amidst tensions between India and China in Eastern Ladakh. The situation escalated after the Chinese forces strengthened border control measures. China's reaction came in response to the construction of defence facilities in India in the Galvan Valley region. 20 Indian soldiers died so far in the clashes.
Su-30MKI MiG-29
