Just less than a fortnight after the crash of Pune-based Sukhoi-30MKI over the Pokharan range in Rajasthan, the reports are around that the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is planning to equip the IAF’s air superiority fighter Sukhoi-30MKI with the air launched version of the supersonic cruise missile, BrahMos.

According to reports from MoD, India will hold talks with Russia regarding equipping Sukhoi-30MKI with air version of BrahMos missile, and India has already sent two of its Sukhoi-30MKI fighters to Russia for necessary modification for equipping the fighter planes with BrahMos missile’s air-launched version. The modification work on the Sukhoi-30MKI is expected to be complete by early 2010, though there is no fixed deadline for that.

The supersonic cruise missile, BrahMos, has been developed by BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited, which is the joint venture between India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroeyenia.

The Sukhoi Su-30 MKI is a variant of the Sukhoi Su-30 jointly-developed by Russia's Sukhoi Corporation and India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The fighter aircraft was inducted into IAP in 2002.

Meanwhile, the IAF, along with Sukhoi experts, is probing into the April 30 crash of Sukhoi-30MKI, which resulted in the death of co-pilot, Wing Commander P.S. Narah. The aircraft crashed over the Pokharan range in Rajasthan after carrying out a routine firing range. This is the first case of the aircraft's crash since 2002.