Russia's defence production company Motovilikhinskiye Zavod, has started supply of Smerch Multiple Rocket Launch Systems to India.
Announcing the supply of rocket launchers for three Indian regiments, the company's Perm regional office said that under the 150 million dollar contract coordinated by Russia's main state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Motovilikhinskiye Zavod will provide some 30 modernised Smerch systems.
The supply of Russia's most powerful rocket launchers to India have been under negotiation since the late 1990s.
The state-of-the-art rocket launchers have a range of up to 70 km and their sale is not subject to any international bans.
Earlier in January, Rosoboronoexport had said that India had purchased a large batch of multiple rocket launchers.
Under the two contracts signed on December 31, 2005, Russia would supply to India two regiments of Smerch MRLS units and upgraded missile projectiles for India's Russian-built Grad MRLS, the Rosoboronoexport said.
