India to buy 21 MiG and 12 Sukhois amid border deadlock with China, Ministry of Defense approved the purchase

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday approved the proposal for the purchase of 12 Sukhoi-30 MKI and 21 MiG-29 fighter jets amidst tense situation along the border with China. In addition, 59 MiG-29s will also be upgraded. The Defense Acquisition Council meeting, chaired by Rajnath Singh, to strengthen the armed forces to protect the borders, approved the purchase of necessary equipment for the three armies.

A defense ministry statement said proposals for an estimated cost of Rs 38,900 crore have been approved. The purchase and upgrade of the MiG-29 from Russia would cost an estimated Rs 7,418 crore. At the same time, the purchase of Sukhoi-30 MKI will cost Rs 10,730 crore.

These approvals focused on indigenous design and development include acquisition of Rs 31,130 crore from Indian industry. These devices will be manufactured by the Indian defense industry in India with the participation of several MSMEs. Some of these projects account for up to 80 percent of the domestic materials project cost.

A large number of these projects have been made possible due to the transfer of technology to the domestic industry by the Defense Research and Development Organization. These include the Pinak Missile for the Indian Army, BMP Ordnance Upgrades and Software Defined Radios and the long-range ground-to-ground cruise missile system and the Astra Missile for the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force. The cost of these design and development proposals is Rs 20,400 crore. The acquisition of new and additional missile systems will increase the power of the three armies.