Indian Air Force receives Russian fighters

The ceremony of putting Russian Su-30MKI multi-purpose fighters in service of the Indian Air Force took place at the Lohagaon airbase (near Pune, State Maharashtra). The fighters were manufactured at the Irkutsk aircraft factory. According to the Sukhoi Aircraft Complex press service, the ceremony was attended by Sukhoi general manager Mikhail Pogosyan, Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes, Indian Air Chief Marshal Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy, and members of the design team.

The Su-30MKI multi-purpose fighter is a state-of-the-art aviation complex, which largely meets the requirements for the fifth generation aircraft.

The contract for design and production of 40 Su-30MKI fighters was signed by representatives of the Indian Defence Ministry and the Russian Rosvooruzhenie company on November 30, 1996. According to the contract's terms, Russia handed over first 10 fighters to the Indian Air Force in 2002.