Indian pilots of Su-30MKI fighters participated in military exercise in UK and demonstrated their skills. According to pilots of the Royal Air Force, who participated in the Exercise Indradhanush IV, Su-30MKI fighters appeared to be a “tough nut” able to put up a fight above a foreign country thousand kilometers away from their home base.

Not only single fighters and pairs took part in the training air combat; the exercises were also held in “squadron versus squadron” format (other sources reported that only four Su-30MKI jets were involved). Participants of the military exercise wore a special chevron on their uniform depicting Indian and British insignias as well as the name of the exercise.

There were no official comments related to comparison between Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Eurofighter EF2000 Typhoon. However, in the course of an informal conversation the following was said: “According to English pilots, despite light Typhoon having higher thrust-to-weight ratio compared to heavy Sukhoi aircraft, this advantage was compensated by the thrust-vectoring nozzle of Su-30MKI. We remind you that EJ200 engines of Eurofighter are not fitted with the thrust-vectoring nozzles”.

According to Indian mass media, the Ministry of Defense is going to purchase 30-40 more Su-30MKI jets in addition to almost three hundred aircraft of the type already ordered by the country. The fighters will be assembled by HAL plant located in Nashik. Decision on purchasing additional Su-30MKI jets was caused by termination of MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) tender by the Indian government; Russian MiG-35, US F-16IN and F-18E/F, European (UK, Germany, Italy) Eurofighter EF2000 Typhoon and French Rafale fighters participated in the tender.

Indian air forces were represented by No. 2 Squadron from Tezpur air base at Exercise Indradhanush IV military exercise held in July-August 2015. Ashu Srivastav was the IAF Team Leader. He is the former pilot of Su-30 Family fighters, who have logged 2215 flying hours. The team comprised 15 pilots and five weapons systems officers (WSO).