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| Antonov An-32B of the Indian Air Force at Leh Airbase (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons) |
By Franz-Stefan Gady
India is looking to upgrade its military airlift capacity, yet Kiev has proven to be an unreliable partner.
Defense News reports that five Antonov AN-32 military transport aircraft have gone missing in Ukraine. According to an Indian Air Force official, the last five out of 40 AN-32s undergoing upgrades at the Kiev-based Antonov State Company have become “untraceable.”
“These five aircraft are almost lost as it is difficult to trace them and diplomatic efforts to find their whereabouts have failed,” the Air Force official stated.
Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar also said in an interview that the planes were “stuck” in Ukraine due to the ongoing fighting in the country.
In 2009, the Indian Air Force signed a contract with Ukrspetsexport Corporation, Ukraine’s state-owned arms trading company, to upgrade its 104 AN-32 transport aircraft and extend their service life for another 25 to 40 years.
Read the full story at The Diplomat