Good news for Malaysia

http://in.news.yahoo.com/020420/20/1m4wg.html

India, Russia to cooperate in selling Sukhois to Malaysia

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) Russia wants India to participate in the development of SUKHOI aircraft for the Royal Malaysian Air Force as the fighter jet sought by Kuala Lumpur would be a derivative of SU-30 MKI, which are being operated by the Indian Air Force.

Russia’s Irkut Corporation, which has signed an MoU with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for licensed manufacture of 140 SU-30 MKI aircraft in India, has sought HAL’s cooperation in the process of cornering international market for this aircraft, according to Alexey Fedorov, President of the Corporation.

The Irkut company, which is already in talks with the Malaysian airforce on the issue, has suggested that a “regional centre for integrated logistical support” for SU-30 MKI fighter jets be set up in India.

The Sukhoi chief, who will arrive in India early next week to participate in a seminar on Indo-Russian military industrial cooperation, recently said in Moscow “there is no doubt that in future HAL will be active to cooperate with the Royal Malaysian Air Force to provide their fleet of Sukhoi aircraft with spares and technical service”.

Stating that SU-30 MKM offered to Malaysia was “basically a derivative” of SU-30 MKI, Fedorov said “the positive mood of Malaysia with regard to SU-30 MKM aircraft in many respects stems from the successful implementation of the MKI project and the practical result achieved by the Russian and Indian participants in the project”.

The Sukhoi chief, who was speaking to an Indian delegation in Moscow last week, also said the Russian company was “very busy exploring possibilities” for Malaysia to use the regional centre of integrated logistical support for SU-30 MKI aircraft “which is to be set up in India”.

He told the high-level Indian team that the “only” way out was to form “a joint Russian-Indian aircraft manufacturing sector capable of preserving its independence by way of consolidating efforts and funds in the face of transatlantic domination”.

“Convergence and mutual interpenetration of Russian and Indian high-tech complexes must follow the chosen logic of further augmentation and expansion of cooperation between the leading aircraft manufacturing coroporations” of the two nations, Fedorov added.

He also referred to the joint implementation of the largest project for production of 165 MiG-27 ML fighter bombers, called ‘Bahadur’, at HAL facilities. These aircraft now form the basis of the IAF’s striking force.