India says it has signed a two-point-one billion dollar contract with
leading U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing for maritime patrol planes.
Indian defense ministry officials say the delivery of at least eight
P-81 planes will begin in the year 2013. The aircraft can be used for
surveillance as well as for surface and anti-submarine warfare.
This purchase of U.S.-made aircraft is India's latest move to modernize its mainly Soviet-era arms.
India traditionally purchased Soviet-made aircraft because of the
country's close relationship with the former Soviet Union during the
Cold War.
India has the world's fourth largest air force, and the nation is one of the world's biggest arms importers.
Boeing is one of the companies currently competing for a contract to
build up to 126 fighter jets for India. That contract is worth about 12
billion dollars.
More on this from our Kolkata stringer Gautam Gupta.