Russia to Sell Tu-22M3 Bombers to IndiaRussia has decided to sell India four advanced Tu-22M3 bombers, Deputy General Director of Russia's biggest arms exporter Rosoboronexport Viktor Komardin said Sunday.The two countries will conclude a contract on supplying Tu-22M3 bombers to India very soon. Due to the high cost of the planes, Russia will first lease out four such bombers to India and subsequently sell them to the country at a residual cost, Komardin said. India's current fiscal year will end on March 31. "If India allocates the necessary amount from this year's budget, the contact may be signed before March 31," Interfax cited Komardin as saying at an international air show going on in Bangalore, India. He did not disclose how much the contract is worth and what good performance the bombers have. The two countries will also complete the negotiations on exporting refueling aircraft and A-50 AWACS aircraft to India this year, he said. He confirmed that India had expressed the desire to rent a Russian submarine. On Friday, Russia announced that in the next three years it will supply 32 multi-purpose Su-30MKI fighter planes to India under a pact signed in 1996. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |