S-400 SAM for India

India likely to pay for Russian arms in euros to bypass US sanctions:

To avoid the threat of US sanctions for the purchase of Russian military hardware, India is likely to make its payments for Russian arms in euros to a Russia-nominated bank, reports The Economic Times.

The move comes as an alternative payment system for the defence equipment as the threat of US action under the controversial Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) has scared away financial institutions from processing these transactions.


While certain payments for existing defence transactions have been processed through the rupee-rouble route, the people said that a solution was firmed up this month with Russia’s VTB Bank agreeing to receive money in euros. Over $4 billion worth of payments to Russia have bunched up for this financial year, with the biggest contract being the S-400 system, followed by the Chakra III submarine lease and the procurement of four frigates for the Indian Navy


Besides, two additional Russian contracts are expected this year for the supply of AK 203 rifles to the armed forces that will be manufactured in Amethi and the inking of an Army contract to procure Ka-226 helicopters that will be produced by a HAL-Russian Helicopters JV.

Sources told ET that VTB Bank is open to using a European account for the money transfer. The Indian bank selected for the transaction will have the least exposure to US currency. VTB Bank has processed large deals in India in the past few years, including the over $12 billion investment into the Essar Group that bailed it from bankruptcy.

As first reported by ET, while the Indian government has been clear that it will not move away from purchasing arms from Russia, the threat of US action under the controversial Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) had scared away financial institutions from processing transactions.

In April 2018, the State Bank of India put a stop to all payments after Russia’s flagship arms trading company Rosoboronexport came under sanctions by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), blocking over $2 billion that had to be transferred. While India found an alternate route for payments by using banks with minimal exposure to the US, the issue took over a year to resolve as Russian financial institutions too refused to be party to transactions that would threaten their global business.


Last year, alternative payment routes were found to transfer money for critical spares and repairs, including work on the INS Chakra nuclear powered submarine that had suffered an accident but a permanent route to send large amounts had remained elusive.


Despite the repeated threat of US sanctions, India has made it clear that it will not back off from the S-400 deal with Russian manufacturer Almaz-Antey that has been in Washington crosshairs for long. At the same time, India negotiated several defence deals with the US, including the purchase of air defence missiles for the national capital, armed drones and naval aircraft.

India signed an agreement with Russia last October to procure a batch of the S-400 missile defence systems at an estimated cost of Rs. 40,000 crore.

All India | Press Trust of India | Updated: July 03, 2019 23:56 IST

NEW DELHI: In the wake of US pressure to scrap the S-400 missile deal with Russia, India on Wednesday said it takes sovereign decisions based on entire spectrum of security challenges facing the country.
The comments were made by Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik while replying to a question on the billion dollar deal with sanctions-hit Russia.

"Government takes sovereign decisions based on threat perception, operational and technological aspects to keep the armed forces in a state of readiness to meet the entire spectrum of security challenges," he said in a written reply.

The minister was answering a question on whether countries including the US have expressed concerns on the deal and apprised India of the same.

The US has been maintaining that that New Delhi's deal to procure the lethal missile system from Moscow will have "serious implications" on India-US defence ties.

India signed an agreement with Russia last October to procure a batch of the S-400 missile defence systems at an estimated cost of Rs. 40,000 crore.

India went ahead to seal the deal notwithstanding the US's warnings against it. India believes that it meets the US waiver criteria for procuring the S-400 missile defence system from sanctions-hit Russia.

Last month, India conveyed to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that it will go by its national interest on the missile deal.

The US announced sanctions against Russia under the stringent Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for its alleged meddling in the American presidential election in 2016.

India wants to procure the long-range missile systems to tighten its air defence mechanism, particularly along the nearly 4,000-km-long Sino-India border.

The S-400 is an upgraded version of the S-300 systems. The missile system, manufactured by Almaz-Antey, has been in service in Russia since 2007.


https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/we-take-sovereign-decisions-based-on-threat-perception-centre-on-s-400-deal-with-russia-2063698

https://sputniknews.com/military/201907091076190291-russia-india-payment-s-400-defence-systems-submarines-jets/

MOSCOW 9 (Sputnik) - Russia is hoping to receive an advance payment for S-400 air defence systems from India by the end of 2019 so that the deliveries may begin in 2020 and be completed by 2025, Deputy Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Vladimir Drozhzhov told reporters.

"The [payment] scheme has been agreed, and I hope that the first payment will soon be transferred by the Indian side", Drozhzhov said. "I think that by the end of 2020 - the beginning of 2021 the first system should be delivered. After the first set, the systems will be delivered under a certain schedule over the next few years, that is, India should get all the systems by2024-2025", he explained.

In early October 2018, Moscow and New Delhi concluded a contract on the deliveries of Russia's S-400 missile systems to India worth over $5 billion. The deal was signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin's two-day visit to India.

Previously, the US State Department gave India a subtle warning that buying weapons from Russia - in particular, S-400 missile defence systems - could compromise further arms deals between New Delhi and Washington, leading to the sanctions against India in line with Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

The S-400 is an advanced mobile air defence missile system which can carry three different types of missiles capable of destroying a variety of aerial targets at a short-to-extremely-long range, from reconnaissance aircraft to ballistic missiles.

Joint Construction of Submarines
According to Drozhzhov, Moscow has also offered New Delhi joint construction of submarines rather than licensed production of the boats, which is more profitable in technological terms.

"We offered India to build a submarine on the basis of our Amur-1650 project ... We do not offer licensed production, we propose to jointly design the boat and jointly build the lead vessel", the official said.

According to him, the Indian side will possess all the technological possibilities for the construction of the series after that.

"Naturally, such cooperation would involve the transfer of all technologies for its creation. Moreover, we offer the installation of the BrahMos missile system on this boat. This project can be successfully implemented in the interests of the two countries", Drozhzhov stressed.

India has previously announced a tender for the purchase of six diesel-electric submarines armed with land attack and anti-ship cruise missiles, in which Russia participates with Project 636 and 1650 Amur-class vessels.

According to media reports, potential foreign partners for the contract include Naval Group (France), Kockums (Sweden), Rubin Design Bureau (Russia) and Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (Germany).

Powerless Sanctions
The FSMTC Deputy Director also noted that Washington's restrictions won't prevent Russia from participating in Indian arms procurement tenders, including on purchase of 110 fighter jets, or deliveries of Russian weaponry if Moscow wins them.

"Sanctions do not bring anything good to anyone. Everyone understands this very well, so we are forced to find ways to circumvent them. We are grateful to our Indian partners for taking efforts in this respect", Drozhzhov said. "But since we have found solutions for a project like the S-400, we have found ways to cooperate on the Project 11356 frigates and Kalashnikov assault rifles, I hope that we will find the same solutions for the supply of fighter jets, and I see good prospects of our participation in the upcoming [light fighter] tender".

Russia's MiG corporation earlier reported that the new Russian MiG-35 light fighter, which is participating in the Indian Air Force tender for the purchase of 110 aircraft of this class, will cost New Delhi 2 less than its foreign competitors.

Kalashnikov Rifle Deal
Drozhzhov also said that the contract between the Indian Defense Ministry and the Russian-Indian joint venture and on deliveries of Russian Kalashnikov assault rifles may be signed soon.

"As for the Kalashnikov guns, for the first time in such a short time, we were able to create a joint venture [in the town of Korwa] and sign an agreement. It should be noted here that this was the political will of the two heads of state. We received a request for deliveries of more than 600,000 rifles. Currently, the joint venture is preparing a corresponding proposal for the Indian Defence Ministry. I think that these proposals from the joint venture should be sent to the Indian Defence Ministry in July. I hope that the corresponding contract between the joint venture and the Indian Defense Ministry will be signed [soon]", he announced.

In March, Russia and India inaugurated a plant, dubbed Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited, that would be producing AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifles in Korwa, Uttar Pradesh. According to Director General of Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport Alexander Mikheev, the capacity of the plant would allow India to fully equip its forces with the rifles.

Arms Orders in Total
Drozhzhov stated that a large portfolio of orders for the supply of Russian weapons and military equipment to India is about $14 billion.

"There are promising [Russia-India] joint venture projects. BrahMos has already proved to be very effective, a joint venture for the production of Ka-226 helicopters has been established, just recently a joint venture for the production of Kalashnikov assault rifles has been created", he said.

https://sputniknews.com/military/201908291076667859-russia-receives-indias-advance-payment-for-s-400-air-defence-systems---govt-agency/


ZHUKOVSKY (Sputnik) - Washington has repeatedly criticised India's defence cooperation with Russia since it sees the country as its major partner in Southern Asia. The United States made an attempt in 2018 to prevent India from reaching the deal with Russia on purchasing the S-400s.

Russia has received from India an advance payment for S-400 air defence missile systems, the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation revealed on Thursday.

"As for India's advance payment for the S-400s, this matter has been settled. Due to objective reasons, we do not comment on technical details", the service said at the MAKS-2019 air show, currently underway in Moscow region's Zhukovsky.

The deputy director of the defence cooperation agency, Vladimir Drozhzhov, said on 9 July that Russia hoped to receive the advance payment by the end of 2019 so that deliveries could begin in 2020 and be completed by 2025.

Moscow and New Delhi concluded in October 2018 a contract on the deliveries of the S-400 missile systems to India worth over $5 billion.

The MAKS-2019 International Aviation and Space Salon is held from 27 August to 1 September in Zhukovsky. This biennial event is among the world's largest of its kind. Russian and foreign aviation experts, manufacturers and businessmen gather to attend exhibitions, roundtables and conferences featuring the latest achievements and novelties in the aviation sphere.

Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency is an official media partner of the event.

YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK (Sputnik) - Russia will deliver S-400 air defence systems to India in strict accordance with the schedule, within 18-19 months, and the contract has been already prepaid, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said.

"The advance payment has been received and everything will be delivered in strict accordance with the schedule, within about 18-19 months," Borisov said in the air of Rossiya 1 broadcaster.

Earlier this year, Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Philip Davidson said the US regarded India's purchase of the Russian S-400 systems as a "bit of a problem", adding though that Washington was in talks with the Indian military in a move to convince the latter not to proceed with the deal.

India and Russia signed a $5.43 billion S-400 contract in national currencies in 2018 despite US threats to sanction New Delhi under a 2017 law that allows Washington to punish countries purchasing Russian weapons.

Despite the threats, India still remains Russia's major defence partner with some 58 percent of Indian arms imports between 2014 and 2018 sourced in Russia.

Besides India, the US has also been facing a row with Turkey, Washington's NATO partner, over the purchase of the Russian air defence systems.

This summer, Russia finished the delivery of the first batch of the S-400 systems within a deal concluded back in December 2017. After Ankara made it clear earlier in the year that it would proceed with the deal, Washington suspended the deliveries of F-35 jets to Turkey and promised to move with more sanctions against the country.

https://sputniknews.com/military/201909081076752623-russia-to-deliver-s-400-to-india-within-18-19-months-contract-already-prepaid---official/

Pinto wrote:ZHUKOVSKY (Sputnik) - Washington has repeatedly criticised India's defence cooperation with Russia since it sees the country as its major partner in Southern Asia. The United States made an attempt in 2018 to prevent India from reaching the deal with Russia on purchasing the S-400s.

US stupidity at its best. US sees someone (who at the moment fits and as it pleases it) as something and in this case India as in this case "major partner in Southern Asia" and than with total disrespect to that other nation thought demands this or that. Who the fuck cares who solely US sees like what and than consequently, what it implies ?!? In this situation US stands like a little week child towards its father with its petty statements in front of mighty India philosophy without even knowing it. They are making fools of themselves and every nation treats fools according to its own tradition.

US can crib or cry or cry like a baby but S400 was a done deal right from the word go

GarryB wrote:I call it beaten wife syndrome... the french will overcharge them for fighter planes, but paying 2.5 billion for a modified and completely rebuilt carrier and its air wing and they squeal like pigs being raped by horses.... they could have just papered over the wiring issues and gave them a dog.

I think it would be best for them to think things through... what they need to do is buy 50 F-35s and operate them for 3-4 years and then decide why they like Russian weapons or not.

Both are acting like children... the US saying you play at their house with their toys or they are going home, and India playing off their friends to get the best deal... who has a swimming pool... when your best friend stops being your best friend when the weather turns cold then you need to find other friends to be honest.

Well I see no British products entering India anymore even the Rafale deal was made as if India listened to your advice with F-35. I see no reason why India would not give an chance to other countries to earn their friendship beside existing friends while taking some damage in the process as is a little give a way for a gain of knowledge of how to make decisions towards whome. As a friend proven in a sense India put their safety in the hands of Russian tanks that already make the core of India Army and Russian fighters core of India air force and Russian PVO the core of India defense and chance given to other countries include only gaps in that sense which can be used as a friendship chance for other countries to take momentarily gain in pursuit to some other advantage (as US is trying to do) or to form a everlasting alliance and everything in between India can not know and therefore can act only from the position of certainty nor uncertainty. I think we have seen that India has always pursuit its own goals according to its own thought even when momentarily situation analysed made people think India pick this or that side even when thought of as in alliance with this or that or against this or that. India philosophy was not noticed and its way of thinking is unknown to us because its strength had not chance to express in a way "the World" found it noticeable up to now when it can not be denied because of why I think safely say that we all where living and judging a western mental forms which makes a pretty obscure domain while all the others forms which exist we do not know, they where not needed to know and they where not in the function of profit. Lesser complexity can view higher complexity only up to its maximum limit still that is primarily reason for misunderstanding and misjudging and optimizing your actions according only to a rules of profit is still one dimensional problem.

MOSCOW: Moscow is holding talks with New Delhi on starting the production of S-400 Air Defense Systems in India, said Sergey Chemezov, CEO of Russia`s Rostec state corporation on Sunday. "Yes, we are discussing the localization [of S-400 production] with India as well," Chemezov told the RBK broadcaster, adding that India has already acquired the license for the production of a lot of technology, such as the Su-30 fighter jet and the T-90 tank, reported Sputnik.

"We have developed the BrahMos missiles together with them [India], on their territory, together with their scientists," Chemezov pointed out.Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was in Moscow to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss ways to further advance bilateral cooperation.

New Delhi had signed a USD 5.43 billion deal with Russia for the purchase of five S-400s during the 19th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit in New Delhi on October 5, 2018, last year, which Washington had indicated may trigger Countering America`s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov on last week had said S-400 air defence missile systems will be delivered to India in strict accordance with the schedule."The advance payment has been received and everything will be delivered in strict accordance with the schedule, within about 18-19 months," Borisov told state-owned broadcaster Rossiya-1.

https://zeenews.india.com/india/moscow-new-delhi-in-talks-over-s-400-missiles-production-in-india-rostec-ceo-2234625.html

If the above deal of local production is materialised then by 2025 India might strike deal for S-500

https://sputniknews.com/military/201909161076817295-india-russia-s400/


New Delhi (Sputnik): India is contemplating a deal that would see it build a domestic version of Russia's S-400 Triumf air defence system, according to an IAF veteran and top military analyst.

State-owned Russian corporation Rostec recently revealed that India and Russia are in talks over the possibility of building a production line to make the S-400, which NATO calls the SA-21 Growler, in India.

“India would need more S-400 systems and is indeed contemplating a follow-up purchase following satisfactory completion of supply of the five systems already contracted for,” said military analyst Vijainder K. Thakur.

Washington has threatened to impose economic sanctions on India should it go ahead with the deal, estimated to be worth $5.43 billion for five S-400 units.

Nevertheless, citing the “national interest,” New Delhi has made it clear that it will be going ahead with the purchase.

“The S-400 system has strategic dimensions. India is not keen to localize production of the system so as to export it! It's keen to localise production so that it can integrate its other advanced Air Defence systems like Medium Range Surface to Air Missile and Ballistic Missile Defence system with the S-400,” Thakur said.

The greatest strength of the S-400, he added, is its open architecture that allows any air defence system to be integrated.

India’s state-funded Defence Research and Development Organisation has long had plans to produce a homegrown ballistic missile defence system.

Last week, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov announced that Moscow will deliver the S-400 system to New Delhi within the next 18-19 months, noting India has paid for the system in advance.

The US Department of State has warned that it could impose sanctions on any country that buys from Russia’s defence sector under its 2017 Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. However, India and Russia are believed to have found a permanent payment mechanism, which they believe will sidestep possible US sanctions.

This summer, Russia completed the delivery of the first batch of the S-400 systems to Turkey following a deal concluded in 2017. After Ankara made it clear earlier in the year that it would proceed with the deal, Washington suspended the deliveries of F-35 jets to Turkey, warning of further sanctions to follow.

India wants Russia to speed up the delivery schedule of the advanced S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems , which can detect, track and destroy hostile strategic bombers, jets, spy planes, missiles and drones at a range of 380-km, after having now paid the first instalment of around Rs 6,000 crore for them. The faster delivery of the five squadrons of S-400, under the $5.43 billion (Rs 40,000 crore) deal inked in October 2018, will be discussed in the 19thIndia-Russia intergovernmental commission on military and military technical cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) to be held in Moscow on Wednesday, said sources.


India’s lease of a Akula-1 nuclear-powered attack submarine under the over $3 billion (Rs 21,000 crore) deal inked in March this year as well as a reciprocal military logistics pact will also be among the issues to figure in the delegation-level talks, which will be co-chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu.



The Akula-1 submarine is meant to replace INS Chakra, the Akula class submarine taken on a 10-year lease from Russia in April 2012, under the over $900 million deal inked way back in January 2004. India has also sought an extension of INS Chakra’s lease till the Akula-1 submarine is ready for induction into the Indian Navy by 2025 or so. But the delivery schedule for the S-400 squadrons, originally slated from October 2020 to April 2023, will figure higher on the agenda, with Rajnath Singh even likely to visit the production facilities at St Petersburg on Thursday.


This comes after India and Russia recently worked out a payment mechanism to get around the US sanctions regime against acquisition of Russian weapon systems, as was earlier reported by TOI. “The first instalment of 15% for the S-400 deal got delayed by several months. But it has now been paid, with the remaining instalments being linked to deliveries. Russia has assured India it will stick to the original delivery schedule. India, however, is trying to quicken it further,” said a source.

The IAF has described the acquisition of the five S-400 squadrons as well as the 36 Rafale fighters from France, under the Rs 59,000 crore deal inked in September 2016, as “game-changing” for combat capabilities and warfare in the region. The S-400 squadrons will come equipped with missiles with an interception range of 120, 200, 250 and 380-km as well as battle-management systems of command posts and launchers, long-range acquisition and engagement radars, and all-terrain transporter-erector-launcher vehicles.


With it being possible to load as many as 128 missiles per battery, the highly-automated and mobile S-400 systems will be deployed on the borders with Pakistan and China to shoot down aerial threats before they come close to Indian airspace during hostilities. The air defence system can even intercept intermediate range ballistic missiles with a velocity of 4,800 metres per second.


https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/speed-up-delivery-of-s-400-missiles-india-to-tell-russia/articleshow/71930637.cms

What will 36 Rafale fighters be used for ?

Viktor wrote:What will 36 Rafale fighters be used for ?

By March 2020 another deal for next 36 Rafale fighters will be signed which will make per unit cost of all 72 Rafales cheaper and this seems to be the end of Rafales unless of course they win MMRCA deal which looks highly unlikely

Pinto wrote:

Viktor wrote:What will 36 Rafale fighters be used for ?

By March 2020 another deal for next 36 Rafale fighters will be signed which will make per unit cost of all 72 Rafales cheaper and this seems to be the end of Rafales unless of course they win MMRCA deal which looks highly unlikely

Unit price will be the same. The first contract included other stuff like training and maintenance tools that won't be ordered in second contract. It also includes weapons.

Actually to be honest I thought a better solution would be to buy 80 MiG-29M2s and 46 MiG-35s and probably only pay about 5 billion for the contract...

Egypt paid 2 billion for 46 mig 29M. Your estimation is realistic but no one really knows what is provided in the contract. Only the jets ? That would lead to another contract for spare parts, weapons and training and increase the total value to more than 7 or 8 billions. With 8 hard point that's 1008 missiles carried. They will need also reloads so they woukd need 2-3000 air to air missiles then comes ground attack missiles, ARM missiles ...

Indians are making a huge mistake of replacing their different aircraft by different aircrafts. Every time they need to pay for training, repair stuff that can't be used on all their fleet, weapons that can't be used by all their fleet ... if they had ordered 400 mig-29M they would be in better situation right now. The winner at the end is the one with more aircraft and we saw that during the bombing.

Isos wrote:

Pinto wrote:

Viktor wrote:What will 36 Rafale fighters be used for ?

By March 2020 another deal for next 36 Rafale fighters will be signed which will make per unit cost of all 72 Rafales cheaper and this seems to be the end of Rafales unless of course they win MMRCA deal which looks highly unlikely

Unit price will be the same. The first contract included other stuff like training and maintenance tools that won't be ordered in second contract. It also includes weapons.

Actually to be honest I thought a better solution would be to buy 80 MiG-29M2s and 46 MiG-35s and probably only pay about 5 billion for the contract...

Egypt paid 2 billion for 46 mig 29M. Your estimation is realistic but no one really knows what is provided in the contract. Only the jets ? That would lead to another contract for spare parts, weapons and training and increase the total value to more than 7 or 8 billions. With 8 hard point that's 1008 missiles carried. They will need also reloads so they woukd need 2-3000 air to air missiles then comes ground attack missiles, ARM missiles ...

Indians are making a huge mistake of replacing their different aircraft by different aircrafts. Every time they need to pay for training, repair stuff that can't be used on all their fleet, weapons that can't be used by all their fleet ... if they had ordered 400 mig-29M they would be in better situation right now. The winner at the end is the one with more aircraft and we saw that during the bombing.

As of now India has decided to order 33 MIG 29UPG and 18 more Su30MKI

As of now India has decided to order 33 MIG 29UPG and 18 more Su30MKI

Yes and they will buy more rafales but not enough for their needs and will then order another western single engine. The most funny would be if they buy the Grippen which involves many countries, each with their rules of weapon export which will delay the delivry by 10 years after the contract is signed.

Isos wrote:

As of now India has decided to order 33 MIG 29UPG and 18 more Su30MKI

Yes and they will buy more rafales but not enough for their needs and will then order another western single engine. The most funny would be if they buy the Grippen which involves many countries, each with their rules of weapon export which will delay the delivry by 10 years after the contract is signed.

if you remember same was done by IAF in early 1980's they bought 60 MIG 29 and 54 Mirage 2000 as per there needs

Now its gonna be repeat of that albeit differently this time with 54 Rafales more MIG 29 and S0 30mki and very major upgradation of su30mki which won't cost less then 7-8b $ because engine is included too

Apart from this some 150 Tejas will be included as point defence interceptor

2nd MMRCA to me seems to be farce, Rafale will be brought in small tranches of 2, and F 16 AND F18 have no chance despite best of pressure tactics by US. Gripen if chosen will kill indigenous Tejas so no chance for them too. Because of rafale the eurocopter is ruled out so what else remains ?

Only MIG 35 and some 50=60 will do the work and if all went well with Russian air force inducting su57 then india will certainly buy 50 -55 by 2022

and i am seeing India buying some MIG 35 by middle of next year and then work on indigenous AMCA

That's still 7 different modern fighters : Su-30mki, Mig-29UPG (based on older mig 29 variant different from mig-35), mig-35, rafale, mirage 2000 (upgraded), Tajas, su-57.

And they still have lot of other jets. And I doubt they will upgrade all MKI so they will have some upgraded and some not with different engines and radars so different maintenance and spare parts stuff, like 2 different jets.

It's not better for their other planes, mix of western and russian stuff like P-8 and il 38 ... and their subs mix of french and russian.

That's a nightmare to maintain. It is expensive. And very hard to fight with because they lack connectivity btw them like we saw during the fight against Pakistan. They lost a mi17 because of IFF that suck and a mig21 because no coordination with other aircraft of the group.

India is the exemple to not follow.

Isos wrote:That's still 7 different modern fighters : Su-30mki, Mig-29UPG (based on older mig 29 variant different from mig-35), mig-35, rafale, mirage 2000 (upgraded), Tajas, su-57.

And they still have lot of other jets. And I doubt they will upgrade all MKI so they will have some upgraded and some not with different engines and radars so different maintenance and spare parts stuff, like 2 different jets.

It's not better for their other planes, mix of western and russian stuff like P-8 and il 38 ... and their subs mix of french and russian.

That's a nightmare to maintain. It is expensive. And very hard to fight with because they lack connectivity btw them like we saw during the fight against Pakistan. They lost a mi17 because of IFF that suck and a mig21 because no coordination with other aircraft of the group.

India is the exemple to not follow.

Essentially this.

This mix - match of systems to create some kind of modern airforce is a bad idea for India. China does well that even if their equipment may be shoddy or sub par, at least they build them, modify them to their needs and build them in numbers. Something India fails to do.