The Indian government has decided to purchase 21 MiG-29 fighters from the Russian Federation and modernize 59 of these aircraft.

Vladimir Drozhzhov, Deputy Head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) of Russia, told Interfax at the Aero India 2021 exhibition in Bangalore.

“The proposal for the supply of 21 aircraft and the modernization of 59 MiG-29 aircraft has been submitted to the Indian side.

The Government of the Republic of India has made a decision to purchase these aircraft, ”said Drozhzhov.

In early July 2020, the acquisition of 21 MiG-29s, along with the modernization of 59 aircraft that are part of Indian aviation units, was approved by the country's Defense Procurement Council.

For these purposes, New Delhi will send 74.1 billion rupees (just over $ 1 billion at the current exchange rate).

In an interview with RT, a military expert, senior researcher at the Higher School of Economics Vasily Kashin called the decision of the Indian government to update and increase the MiG-29 fleet as predictable.

According to him, the republic's army has accumulated extensive experience in the operation and maintenance of these machines.

“India has the trained workforce, experience and infrastructure to serve the twenty-ninth.

I think that New Delhi will purchase a batch of radically modernized aircraft with new electronics and weapons.

This will be the best deal for India.

There will be no difficulties with the development of these fighters in the troops, ”explained Kashin.

Combat power and vitality

Currently, Moscow offers foreign partners a deeply modernized version of the MiG-29.

The aircraft, designated MiG-29M / M2, is capable of lifting 6.5 tons of ammunition into the air at nine points of suspension and destroying air and ground targets.

According to Rosoboronexport, the MiG-29M / M2 are effective in solving missions to cover troops and objects, as well as to engage ground and surface targets at a depth of 400-600 km.

The aircraft are distinguished by their high combat power and survivability.

  • Fighter MiG-29M / M2

  • © Rosoboronexport

“Fighters (MiG-29M / M2. -

RT

) have autonomy of actions, the ability to use in isolation from the main base airport.

In the two-seat version, the fighter can be used both in combat and in training mode.

The fighters are equipped with modern airborne avionics, an airborne armament system, an airborne defense system, "the Rosoboronexport website says.

The MiG-29M / M2 differs from its Soviet predecessor in the presence of more modern radar stations (radar) and optoelectronic systems.

In addition, these machines can use almost all types of high-precision ammunition.

According to experts, the MiG-29 family is still one of the most maneuverable combat aircraft in the world thanks to the integral aerodynamic layout, which gives the aircraft high lift, and the RD-33 bypass jet engines.

The aircraft can accompany 10 targets and simultaneously aim up to 4 missiles at them, including the Kh-31 and Kh-35 anti-ship cruise ammunition.

The open architecture of fighters allows in the future to integrate new means of destruction into them.

India is one of the main foreign operators of domestic aircraft.

The country's naval forces use naval modifications of the MiG-29K / KUB, and the Air Force uses both the basic version and an improved version of the MiG-29UPG.

MiG-29UPG made its first flight on February 4, 2011.

The aircraft is equipped with on-board radars of the modernized Zhuk family, an electronic warfare station, a central on-board computer BTsVM-90 / BTsVM-486-2, a digital signal processor and an inertial navigation system with a built-in GPS receiver.

The fighter's arsenal includes a 30-mm built-in GSh-301 cannon with 150 rounds of ammunition, and R-27, R-77 (RVV-AE) and R-73 air-to-air missiles.

To defeat ground targets, the MiG-29UPG can use the Kh-25ML, Kh-29T, Kh-29L missiles, the KAB-500kr and KAB-500L aerial bombs.

To combat enemy ships, the fighter is equipped with Kh-31A and Kh-35U missiles. 

The MiG-29UPG cannot use heavy supersonic air-launched missiles of the BrahMos type, which are a joint Russian-Indian development.

However, the designers of the two countries are now creating a lightweight modification of this ammunition.

  • Armament of the MiG-29

  • © Rostec

“With its smaller dimensions, this (lightweight -

RT

) missile has the same combat effectiveness as the“ large ”missile created today, which is used by the Indian Air Force Su-30MKI heavy fighters.

But it will be possible to arm light fighters of the MiG-29 type.

We plan to create this rocket in three to five years, "Alexander Maksichev, managing co-director of Brahmos Aerospace from the Russian side, told RIA Novosti earlier.

As noted by The Times of India, the MiG-29UPG is a very effective combat vehicle.

Thus, the onboard equipment of the aircraft is capable of detecting a tank at a distance of 25 km, a destroyer at a distance of 300 km, and air objects at a distance of 120 km.

Indian analysts attribute a small combat load to the disadvantages of the Russian aircraft, compared to Western fighters.

However, they call the indisputable advantages of the MiG-29UPG an advantage over other aircraft in close air combat and an affordable price.

"India is interested in this plane"

In an interview with RT, the head of the Bureau of Military-Political Analysis, Alexander Mikhailov, noted that for more than 30 years the MiG-29 has remained one of the best fighters in the world in terms of value for money.

According to the expert, in comparison with Western counterparts, the Russian aircraft is very unpretentious and therefore well suited for operation in a country like India.

“The advantages of the MiG-29 outweigh its individual disadvantages.

And if we talk about natural and climatic conditions, then in hot India he "feels" the best possible way.

It is quite reasonable that India decided to purchase another batch of MiG-29s, ”Mikhailov emphasized.

According to the expert, New Delhi highly appreciates the open nature of Russia's arms export policy.

As the expert suggests, Moscow can transfer fighters with completely new avionics, weapons of destruction to control and security systems to New Delhi.

In addition, Mikhailov believes that, to a certain extent, India was prompted to conclude a new contract with Moscow by clashes with the Pakistani army and the Air Force in February-March 2019.

According to the Indian Ministry of Defense, the Pakistanis were able to shoot down one MiG-21.

Vasily Kashin believes that the disturbing incidents with Islamabad in the Kashmir region have exposed the problem of obsolescence of a significant part of the Indian aircraft fleet.

From the expert's point of view, the purchase of modernized MiG-29 and other Russian aircraft will significantly increase the combat readiness of the republic's air force.

“The MiG-21, which India lost, was actually an antique model (the plane was developed in the 1950s -

RT

).

India has a first-class, well-trained flight crew, but it is unrealistic to fight in such machines without losses.

This is the main lesson of the events of 2019, ”Kashin said.

Nevertheless, New Delhi is in no hurry with large-scale acquisitions of new aircraft.

The expert explained this paradox by a very complex system of implementation of procurement procedures in the state.

For this reason, India is not always able to update its aircraft fleet in a timely manner.

“Despite the bureaucratic delays, in my opinion, there will be no problems with the purchase of the MiG-29.

India is interested in this aircraft.

It is much cheaper than analogues, and in its modernized form it will not be inferior to Western models.

In New Delhi, they understand that the MiG-29 will be able to some extent make up for the lack of modern combat vehicles in the country, "Kashin summed up.