India on Friday signed two pacts with Russia for long-term maintenance of the Su-30MKI combat jets, which have poor serviceability at the moment.
The two nations are exploring the possibility of having similar agreements for T-90 tanks, opening up a new window in India-Russia military cooperation.
Other military platforms under discussions for long-term spare support are INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier, MiG-29K naval fighters and Mi-17 helicopters.
As most of the critical Indian military platforms are of Russian origin, sourcing their spares and looking after their timely maintenance remains a big challenge. The Su-30MKI fighter fleet is plagued by frequent engine failure-in-air and engine-related problems and poor operational serviceability, due to spare supply problems.
The two agreements between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with United Aircraft Corporation and United Engine Corporation are likely to address the servicing issues in the next five years.
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