Moscow: Russia will showcase its most advanced aviation technologies at the Aero India 2003 air show in Bangalore from February 5 to 9, a top Russian arms exporter said.

"Russia is taking about 300 items for display at the air show, including MiG-at advanced trainer jet, Kamov KA-50 helicopter gun ships and futuristic weapon systems and avionics," deputy director general of the Rosoboronexport State Corporation Viktor Komardin said before leaving for India on February 2.

Russia will be the biggest foreign participant in the air show. All the major Russian aircraft designers and producers, including Irkut Corporation (Su-30mki), RAC "MiG", helicopter producers "MIL", "Kamov" and Rostvertol are to display their fighter jets and helicopters.

"However, we are not taking the 'pride' of our technological co-operation – Su- 30mki, since it has already become a part of the Indian Air Force, which would showcase these versatile jets at the air show," president of "Sukhoi" Military Aircraft Corporation Mikhail Pogosyan told reporters.

At Aero India 2003, the Russian aerospace industry is eager to cement its predominant position as the major partner of the Indian aviation sector, Dr Alex Vaskin of Indo-Russian security forum said, noting that Russia has doubled the floor area of its exposition as well as the number of participants since the last air show.

"There is a clear understanding here that competition in Indian market is getting tougher, that is why Russians will try to outperform their main rivals from Europe and Israel in demonstrating advantages of their upgradation projects," Vaskin said.

He did not rule out a stiff competition between Russian and Israeli versions of MIL- family rotorcraft upgradation.

Rostvertol, in co-operation with MVZ Moscow and Rosoboronexport, will make a full- scale presentation of the latest version of MI-35 combat helicopter, while Israeli IAI and Elbit will focus on their upgrading projects of MI-24.

The Bangalore air show is an international show and the participants would eye the potential customers in the Asian and South East Asian region.

The Russians would face a challenge from Aviastar of Romania, which is trying to enter the Indian market with lancer version of MiG-21 upgrade.

However, the Romanian Air Force has already lost eight of its upgraded fighters in the last two years, Vladimir Barkovsky of RAC MiG said. The lancer-type upgradation is considered the most inadequate by aviation experts in Eastern Europe, he said.

Amidst reports that India is close to clinching a deal with British Aerospace (BAE) for hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) and that US-Czech l-159 is also in the fray, Barkovsky said an advanced trainer manufactured by his company would be on display at the Bangalore air show.

PTI