Moscow, December 20, 2005 (UNI)

India and Russia have signed a contract on the delivery of a batch of Tunguska-M1 missile weapons systems worth about 400 million dollar, official Russian media reported.

Interfax news agency today reported quoting an anonymous source in the Russian defence industry that ''in line with a contract recently signed, India will receive four batteries of Tunguska-M1 systems.'' Manufactured by the Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant in Ulyanovsk, Tunguska-M1 gun-and-missile system can engage targets during stationary and mobile conditions, using missiles for long-range targets and guns for close-in-defence.

The system has target acquisition radar and target tracking radar, optical sight, a digital computing system, tilt angle measuring system and navigation equipment. It is designed for defence against fixed-winged aircraft, helicopters and can also fire on ground targets.

Meanwhile, the chief of Russia's air command Lt General Igor Khvorov said today that the deal on the supply of Tu-22M3 (NATO designation Backfire-C) strategic bombers to India was yet to be finalised.

''Indian pilots and technical personnel have not been trained in Russia yet because the issue of the sales is still being discussed,'' Khvorov told reporters.