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INDIA has opened its doors for Malaysia to send its Sukhoi aircraft for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) work to the country, after Malaysia faced problems obtaining the service from Russia.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the matter was among those discussed and decided during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Malaysia recently.
He said Malaysia, India and Vietnam have many similarities in terms of assets, especially the assets of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), including the use of Sukhoi aircraft.
"We discussed how we can send and establish relationships, especially in terms of MRO, because India has a lot of Sukhoi assets, and the country can manufacture spare parts.
"We are having problems sending spare parts or maintaining Sukhoi fighter jet engines to Russia. We can send them, but we cannot pay because Russia is under sanctions by the United States (US), and we cannot pay through `swift' or normal payment.
"Now, India is allowing us to send and restore (spare parts) or do MRO of these Sukhoi fighter jet engines in India," he said during Ministerial Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat, today.
He was responding to Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan)'s original question on the outcome of regional trade and security following Modi's visit to Malaysia last week, and to what extent Malaysia and India can take joint steps against the implementation of tariffs by the US. – February 10, 2026
