Monday, February 20 2006 15:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Airbus Industrie and Indian Airlines today (Feb 20,2006) signed an agreement for purchase of 43 aircraft for the national air carrier at a cost of two billion US dollars.

The agreement was signed after talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting French President Jacques Chirac.

Under the agreement, the delivery of the aircraft will begin late October or early November and is to be completed over a period of 43 months thereafter, Airbus Industrie (India) President for Customer Affairs Kiran Rao told reporters here.

Among the planes to be delivered are 19 A-319, four A-320 and 20 A-321.