Moscow showcased its state-of-the-art export models of aircraft engineering and air defence facilities at the Aero India 2013 show, which was held in Bangalore from 6 to 10 February 2013. There is a popular belief that Russia is losing the Indian market for combat aviation to the West but is this true?
To answer this, we must analyse not only the current market environment but also the events of the last five decades, for this is how old the relationship between Russia and India in military aviation is ? it started in 1963, when Russia first supplied MiG-21F-13 fighters to the Indian Air Force.
For a comparatively short period, the MiG-21 was the backbone of the Indian fighter fleet. The machine helped tip the scales in favour of India in military conflicts with Pakistan, which operated western, mostly American-made machines. The battle-tested fighter won the trust of the Indian Air Force, paving the way for further engagement.
19/02/13 Mikhail Hodarenok/RBK Daily/Russia & India Report
