Indian Government Approves $1.5 Billion Russian Deal

The Indian government has approved a $1.5 billion deal to buy 200 air-launched variants of the Russian-Indian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and 10,000 Russian-made Invar anti-tank missiles. The missile will be deployed in Su-30MKI strike aircraft. The first test of the air-launched missile is due in December 2012. The Indian Air Force is expected to get about 200 of these missiles. Su-30 MKI will have to be modified to enable them to carry the air version of the BrahMos. The 10,000 Invar missiles for India’s T-90 tanks will be procured from a Russian manufacturer but in the future 15,000 will be produced under license by India’s Bharat Technologies. BrahMos, a super-sonic missile that can travel at about 3 mach speed, is already being used by the Indian Navy and the Indian Army.