India to add to Su-30MKI fleet with new order
India has approved the assembly of a dozen additional Su-30MKI fighters, to make up for attritional losses. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
India will order a dozen extra Su-30 fighters from Russia, these to be assembled by HAL within India.
As the Indian Air Force (IAF) waits to fill gaps in its fighter inventory with indigenous LCA Mk1As, in the interim it is buying 12 Su-30MKI fighters to replace crashed examples.
This pending aircraft procurement valued at $1.3 billion – the biggest since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war – was given acceptance of necessity by the Defence Acquisition Council in mid-September, along with eight other projects valued at $5.9 billion.
The Su-MKIs will be license-built by HAL at its Nashik plant, the same facility where LCA Mk1As will be manufactured.
Delivery is scheduled within a year of signing
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