RUSSIA has agreed to a huge deal to sell hundreds of advanced stealth fighter jets to India.
Delhi intends to buy up to 300 fifth-generation fighter aircraft in a contract worth up to $US30 billion ($30.5bn), the biggest in its military history.
It will also buy 45 transport aircraft as part of a joint venture to develop aircraft with Russia, in a project worth $US645 million.
"These are the two major projects for the next 10 years, which will be a shining example of Indian-Russian co-operation," said Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony. The deal, sealed during a visit to Delhi by Russian Defence Minister Anatoli Serdyukov, underscores India's resolve to beef up its military capacity alongside its rising global economic influence. Moscow is the biggest defence supplier to Delhi.
It is a boost for the Sukhoi T50 stealth fighter, which had its maiden test flight in January, three years behind schedule.
Russia's first new military jet since the collapse of the Soviet Union is billed as a rival to the F22 Raptor flown by the US Air Force, the only fifth-generation fighter jet.
Many of the capabilities of the Russian aircraft remain secret but it is claimed to have radar-evading stealth technology and to combine supersonic cruising speed with a range of 5500km - double the distance of the F22.
Mr Serdyukov said Russia's state-owned Sukhoi and India's Hindustan Aeronautic would work together on the project.
"The fifth-generation fighter aircraft has been designed by us, the price has been fixed and the draft of the agreement has been given to India. Once it is signed HAL and Sukhoi will participate," he said. The contract is risky for India, which is still waiting for Russia to deliver a refurbished aircraft carrier under a 2004 deal. Russia has tripled the cost of refitting from $US750m to $US2.3bn and the vessel is unlikely to be ready before 2012.
Delivery of a Nerpa attack submarine was also delayed after a 2008 accident during sea trials killed 20 sailors and technicians. India's navy was supposed to receive the submarine in 2008 under a $US900m lease, but the transfer is expected next March.
There are also fears about the reliability of Russian defence hardware. Algeria returned 15 MiG29 fighter jets in 2007, due to their "inferior quality".
India has long relied on its Soviet-era MiG21 fighter jets.
It plans to replace them with 270 Sukhoi aircraft in a $US12bn deal. Six global aircraft firms are also competing for a $US12bn contract to supply another 126 fighter jets.
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