India today agreed to buy $2.9 billion worth of Russian weapons, as President Vladimir Putin visited the longtime ally.
Under the larger deal, India will purchase kits to assemble 42 Sukhoi-30 fighter jets for $1.6 billion. The other contract is for 71 Mi-17 helicopters worth $1.3 billion. "We agreed to strengthen the partnership of Russia and India in the area of military equipment cooperation further and advance new projects, including by creating joint ventures and transferring technology," Putin said after his talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The fighter jet deal brought the total number of Sukhoi-30 warplanes sold to India to 230, with a total value of $8.5 billion, Interfax reported. India's HAL Corp. plans to build 140 of these jets by the end of 2015.
"Russia is a key partner in our efforts to modernize our armed forces," Singh said in a statement.
As far as helicopters go, India has already been taking delivery of Mi-17s under a previous contract. Signed in 2008, it stipulates that Russia will supply 80 helicopters worth $1.3 billion.
India has been Russia's largest customer for military hardware, despite missed deadlines that sent New Delhi shopping for Western weapons more often.
Read more: Kremlin, India Strike Weapons Deals | News | The Moscow Times
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