India, Russia to ink $25bn contract for 250 5th-gen stealth fighters

New Delhi: India and Russia are set to sign a preliminary agreement for a co-development and manufacturing programme for a fifth generation fighter aircraft that is slated to become this country's biggest-ever defence project.  The programme will eventually see outlays in excess of $25 billion for the induction of 250 advanced stealth fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA).

Based on a Russian design, from the Sukhoi design bureau, the FGFA (Indian designation) will be a very potent super-manoeuvrable, supersonic cruise, long-range strike and high-endurance air defence capable aircraft that will cost upwards of $100 million (Rs450 crore) per unit. This would, however, be almost half the price of the comparable American fifth generation F-22 Raptor, which, at last count, was costing the US exchequer about $185 million per unit.

The Russians are also confident that not only would the aircraft cost much less than its American counterpart but would also be far more capable.

The budget for the FGFA would also factor in the massive infrastructure that would need to be raised to base, operate and maintain such cutting-edge platforms in India.

The preliminary agreements are concerning the design aspects of the aircraft are likely to be signed when Russian president Dmitry Medvedev visits Delhi in December.

The project will also be taken up for discussion in talks between Indian defence minister AK Antony and his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov on 8 October.