As Russia Claims India Wants to Buy New MIG-35 Fighter Jet

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Russia is keen on selling its new fighter jet MiG-35 to India with the MiG corporation's chief saying the country has evinced interest in the aircraft and talks were on to understand its requirements. 

Director General of Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG Ilya Tarasenko said the MiG-35 was "the best" and definitely better than Lockheed Martin's fifth-generation combat aircraft F-35. He claimed that the MiG-35 would beat the American jet in air to air combat.

 Mr Tarasenko, while talking to reporters on the sidelines of the MAKS 2017 air show here, said after having presented MiG- 35 in January, the MiG corporation began to actively promote the aircraft in India and in other parts of the world. 

 "We are proposing supply of the aircraft for tenders in India and we (are) actively work with its Air Force in order to win the tender," he said. The MiG-35 is Russia's most advanced 4++ generation multipurpose fighter jet developed on the basis of the serial-produced MiG-29K/KUB and MiG-29M/M2 combat aircraft.

 Asked if India has expressed any interest in the MiG-35, Mr Tarasenko said, "Of course they have." MiGs have been used by India for almost 50 years and MiG corporation proposes its new products to India among the first countries and intends to continue supplying India with its most modern aircraft, the MiG chief said.

 "Since this is a very new plane, it will still take some time to negotiate on exactly what India needs and adjust the product to it," he added.

 Talking about the cost of the plane, Mr Tarasenko said it was economical due to the after-sales services being offered along with the aircraft.

 "I would like to note the demand for this aircraft for our own air force, as well as our foreign partners. The plane is light, multi-functional and has high manoeuvrability," Mr Tarasenko said, adding that the MiG was also offering special commercial terms to its partners. 

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