New Delhi: India will invite international bids for the purchase of 126 combat aircraft within two months in a major push to what is one of the world's biggest military aviation deals, Defence Minister A K Antony said today.

India, which has one of the largest air forces in the world, wants to replace its ageing MiG-21s and British Jaguar planes. "Now, all negotiations are over. Now it's a question of formality. You can expect it within another 2 months," Antony told reporters when asked how soon India will open the tender to international sellers.

Originally valued by analysts at $10 billion, the deal is now being estimated at between $8 billion and $9 billion after the rupee gained about 9 percent this year. The deal has attracted interest from the Russians who are pushing their cutting-edge MiG-35. Russia has been India's traditional supplier of military equipment.

Boeing's FA-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin's F-16 are also competing for the contract. India, which has fought three wars with Pakistan and one with China, raised its defence spending by 7 percent to $20 billion for the year ending March 2007.