The move has been confirmed by Russian Air Chief General Anatoly Kornukov, who visited India between October four and 10, according to Nezavisimoe Voyennoye Obozrenie (Independent Military Review) weekly in its latest issue. Earlier reports had said that 10 brand-new Tu-22M3 planes were ready for delivery at Kazan aviation plant in Tatarstan (on Volga river).

The swing-wing supersonic bombers, inducted in the Soviet Air Force in 1977, have an effective strike range of 2200 kms and can carry up to 24 tonnes of bombs and missiles including `smart' weapons.

India will be the only country, besides former Soviet Union constituent, Ukraine, to receive these bombers, Russian defence experts say. The decision to lease these bombers was reportedly taken by President Boris Yeltsin in thespirit of his promise made to Indian External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh during his Moscow visit in April that New Delhi would continue to get `cutting-edge' defence technology from Moscow.

India is also going to buy one A-50 AWACS aircraft from Russia, the weekly reported.