BAE lands £1.1bn jets order

DEFENCE equipment group BAE Systems has won a $1.7bn (£1.1bn) contract to sell Hawk trainer jets to India. The Indian Cabinet today approved the deal, which will involve the purchase of up to 66 Hawk jets from BAE.

The cabinet approval is the final hurdle to the long-delayed transaction, which finally won Indian ministers' support following Prime Minister Tony Blair's intervention.

India has been scouting for a trainer aircraft since the mid-1980s and had begun negotiations with BAE after turning down the Franco-German Alpha Jet and Russian MiG-AT.

BAE declined to comment as it has yet to be officially told of the Indian government's decision. 'We will issue a statement shortly once we get the confirmation,' a BAE spokesman in London said.