India to get Russian fighter produced in Irkutsk

June 4, 1999

MOSCOW - AP World News via NewsEdge Corporation:
Russia will deliver four fighter jets to India next week
under a contract that was concluded last year, a news
report said Thursday. 

Two of the Sukhoi-30MKs will be delivered on Monday,
and two more will follow a week later, the ITAR-Tass
news agency said, citing an official at the Irkutsk
Aircraft Manufacturing Amalgamation. 

India has signed deals to buy 40 Sukhoi jets from
Russia. Ten Su-30MKs will be delivered by the end of
1999, with more of the planes, and several upgraded
Su-30MKIs, to follow. 

The Soviet Union was India's chief arms supplier, and
Moscow still supplies much of India's military
equipment. 

Russian arms sales, which are usually made in dollars,
represent a valuable source of hard currency and jobs. 

(nw/gm) 

[Source: AP]