Russia in chase for fighter, nuclear deals

Russian president Dimitry Medvedev arrives in New Delhi with his eyes on an $11 billion tender for 126 warplanes that the Indian Air Force is contracting for, and on as much as $100 billion in nuclear-power contracts.

India, Russia's top arms customer, has tripled its defence budget over the last decade as it looks beyond a traditional military rivalry with Pakistan to counter China's rising power. Prime minister Vladimir Putin has spearheaded Russia's efforts to fend off competition from the US and Europe.

RSK MiG is bidding against the likes of Dassault Systemes SA, Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp and Sweden's Saab for the 126 multi-role medium range combat aircraft contracts.

On the nuclear front, Indian plans to expand the country's atomic capacity 10-fold by 2020. This may net deals for Russia's Rosatom Corp, which is jostling for space with Areva SA, Alstom SA, or Westinghouse Electric Co.

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin in March closed more than $10 billion in agreements with India, including the delivery of India's second aircraft carrier in 2012 and 29 MiG-29 fighters. The two countries signed a ''road map'' on nuclear energy that may net Russian companies a role in building as many as 16 reactors.

Medvedev's delegation will include Mikhail Pogosyan, Moscow-based MiG's chief executive officer, Sergei Kiriyenko, and the chief executive of Moscow-based Rosatom, Sergei Prikhodko. Sergei Chemezov, head of Moscow-based Russian Technologies Corp., a holding that includes Rosoboronexport, the state arms exporter, will also accompany Medvedev.