A few days ago, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) in Bangalore received an order from the Indian government for the production of 12 more Su-30MKI fighter jets. The contract with the Ministry of Defence worth 125 billion Indian rupees (just under 1.5 billion euros) stipulates that HAL will manufacture the Flanker-H at its plant in Nasik under a Russian license.
“The delivery of these aircraft will improve the operational capability of the Indian Air Force and strengthen the country’s defense preparedness,” says the Indian Ministry of Defense. It is emphasized that 62.6 percent of the components will be sourced from Indian manufacturers, with the remainder coming from the Russian UAC and smaller portions of the avionics also coming from the West – primarily from Israel and France.
The Indian Air Force still operates 266 of its original 272 Su-30MKIs after a number of crashes and one (allegedly) shot down by Pakistan. The jets, along with 35 Dassault Rafale, the jets form the backbone of the Indian Air Force and some of them are currently undergoing modernization.
To this end, New Delhi approved the purchase of 240 AL-31F engines from NPO-Saturn in September, with 54 percent of the engine components also to be manufactured in India. New electronic warfare systems will also be procured.
According to the Indian Ministry of Defence, in addition to the production of the twelve aircraft now ordered under Russian license, HAL has also submitted plans for 72 advanced Suchois. If the initiative for the so-called “Super-30” is approved, the Indian Air Force’s Flanker fleet will reach at least 350 aircraft. However, as is so often the case in India, full implementation is expected in a decade at best, in parallel with the procurement of Rafale-M for the Indian aircraft carriers, the further ramp-up of Tejas Mk.1A production (-> 83 Tejas will be followed by another 97 aircraft) and the launch of the 5th generation AMCA project (-> India’s stealth fighter program becomes reality).
