In what seems like a move influenced by recent escalations and rapid deployment on the border by both Pakistan and China, The Ministry of Defence approved the procurement of 21 Mig-29s and 12 Sukhoi MK1s from the Russian Federation.
The acquisition council of the Defence Ministry also gave the go-ahead for scaled upgradation of 59 existing Mig-29 aircrafts in active service in the Indian Air Force
This move came as the next step after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Russian president Vladmir Putin and Putin reiterated his commitment to “further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries in all spheres," an Indian foreign ministry statement said. It did not say whether the two leaders had discussed India’s border tensions with China.
Indian foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivatasva on Thursday said New Delhi and Beijing will “continue their meetings both at the military and diplomatic levels… in the future to resolve the issue (current boundary tensions) to mutual satisfaction.".
“While the MIG 29 procurement and upgradation from Russia is estimated to cost ₹7,418 crores, the Su-30 MKI will be procured from HAL at an estimated cost of ₹10,730 crore," the statement said.
As a whole the entire exercise is likely to cost upwards of 2.43 billion Dollars or 38,000 Crore Rupees.
In Picture: The Mig-29 and the Sukhoi MK1
The orders for the 33 fighter jets, the upgradations and 248 beyond visual range ASTRA air to air missiles – with the capacity to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft during night or day -- besides long range land attack missile systems having a firing range of 1,000 kilometres are expected to drastically improve the capability of the Indian Air Force whose squadron strengths have fallen from 42 to 30 in recent times.
The India-Russia initiative has seen significant change in terms of the support that Indian analysts expected to receive in the face of a confrontation with China which represents another one of Russia’s close allies. With China laying claim to a parcel of land in Russian territory and actively pushing against some of Russian foreign policy interests however, it seems like an opportune time for India as it continues in its modernisation as a broader push for overall parity with the developed powers.
The additional support in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic in terms of multiple western countries such as the USA, France and the United Kingdom condemning China and their actions gives India a significant amount of maneuver space in terms of engagement both on diplomatic and military levels.
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