Moscow: Eyeing the global market, Russia has offered to jointly develop with India a next generation Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT), which could also be used as a light combat aircraft.

"Within this year we are going to formally make the proposal to pool the efforts of the two countries in developing new generation AJT and hope that Indian Defence Ministry's response would be positive," said Alexei Fyodorov president of Russia's IRKUT Aerospace Corporation.

The proposal calls for pooling of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) resources on the AJT programme and IRKUT's Yak-130 project to cut costs and share risks, he said while interacting with the Indian media.

"We are not talking only of Indian or Russian requirements. We are eyeing the global market, where this trainer jet, convertible into Light Combat Aircraft capable of carrying three tons of weapon load, would have a great scope," Fyodorov said.

The proposed aircraft would be based Russian Air Force's Yak-130 AJT, which is 75 per cent identical to the Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets, he said adding that the new AJT would have certain distinct features.

Fyodorov said over the years IRKUT has developed very close and fruitful interaction with Hindustan Aernautics Limited, which can supply avionics produced under license for the Su-30MKI production, as well as key components for the proposed AJT.