News Brief
IAF To Get 12 Su-30 MKIs With High "Indigenous Content" From HAL Under Rs 13,500 Crore Deal
An Indian Air Force Sukhoi SU-30 Fighter (Wikimedia Commons)
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to get 12 additional Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract with defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the same.
The Rs 13,500 crore contract for procurement of 12 Su-30 MKI aircraft along with associated equipment was signed on Thursday (12 December).
The Su-30 MKI aircraft, to be manufactured at HAL's Nasik division, will feature an "indigenous content" of 62.6 per cent. This has been achieved through the indigenisation of various components to be manufactured by Indian defence industry.
"In a major boost to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative of the government, a contract for procurement of 12 Su-30MKI aircraft along with associated equipment has been signed between Ministry of Defence and M/s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) today on 12.12.2024, at an approximate cost of 13,500 Crore inclusive of taxes and duties," the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
This comes as the IAF is also undertaking a project to upgrade its Sukhoi-30 fighter fleet. This ambitious initiative aims to enhance initially 84 aircraft with indigenous weapon systems, advanced radars, and avionics.
These newly-upgraded Sukhois will also be integrated with the BrahMos-A air-launched cruise supersonic missile. These missiles are capable of striking targets at ranges close to 400 to 500 kilometres.
With these long-range missiles, coupled with the Su-30 MKI's range of more than 1,500 kilometres, the Indian Air Force gains the ability to counter any adversary inimical to Indian interests.
