India: India signed a €1.2 billion deal with Russia yesterday for a refurbished Soviet-era aircraft carrier and 16 MiG 29 K maritime fighter jets to enhance its navy's role from one of "sea control" to "power projection".
"It is a landmark deal," Russian Defence Minister Mr Sergei Ivanov said at a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart, Mr George Fernandes.
"It is a reaffirmation of our strategic and defence relations," Mr Fernandes said.
For over four decades, Russia has supplied the bulk of India's military hardware including tanks, fighter aircraft, frigates, submarines and missiles.
Following negotiations lasting nearly a decade, the Indian navy is buying the 17-year-old, 44,500- tonne Admiral Gorshkov carrier. The carrier was commissioned into the Soviet Navy in 1987 but was badly damaged by a fire in the early 1990s and required a refit.
The purchase was delayed following price disagreements over the refit and the cost of the fighters. At one point, India threatened to buy French aircraft, forcing the Russians to drop their price.
Naval sources said the carrier's refurbishment would take five years and included new propulsion, power and air-conditioning systems to enable it to operate in tropical waters.
Besides the Mig 29K fighters, the carrier will also have early-warning systems, and anti-submarine protection, helicopters and a mixture of Russian and Israeli missiles.
The navy plans to keep the Gorshkov in service for 25 to 30 years and will base it at Karwar, a new naval base on India's southwest coast that is under construction.
At present, India has just one aircraft carrier.
India wants to play a bigger role regionally and globally through its navy besides countering China's rapid expansion into the Indian Ocean. Last year, Indian Navy warships provided security to the African Union summit in Mozambique and earlier patrolled the Malacca Straits with the US Navy for a year after the September 11 attacks.