MOSCOW, January 15 (Sputnik) — The Indian Air Force (IAF) cannot confirm media reports of its decision to purchase Russian Su-30MKIs over Rafale fighter jets from France, an IAF spokesperson said Thursday.
"There is no official confirmation about the reports appearing in the Indian media about the Su-30MKI instead of Rafale," Wing Commander Simranpal Singh Birdi told RIA Novosti.
Several local media outlets reported in recent days that India could pull out of a deal with France’s Dassault Aviation company on the acquisition of 126 Rafale multirole fighter aircraft and choose Russian-designed Su-30 aircraft instead. Reasons cited by Indian media outlets included France's reluctance to pass on technologies to the Indian side and an increase in the price of the jets.
© SputnikSu-30 Multirole fighter
Su-30 Multirole fighter
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