India invites fighter jet bid from Sweden

STOCKHOLM: Sweden's Saab AB, which makes the Gripen fighter jet, said on Tuesday it had received a formal invitation to enter the bidding contest to supply 126 new combat planes to India.

India is also expected to evaluate aircraft built by American manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Boeing, France's Dassault Aviation, and Russia's Sukhoi in a deal worth an estimated $10 billion (euro7.3 billion).

"We look forward to the competition process and are confident that Gripen will meet, or exceed every operational requirement raised by the Indian Air Force," Saab said in a statement.

The Gripen fighter is used by Sweden, Hungary and the Czech Republic. South Africa has also ordered the plane. India currently flies Russian-made MiG fighters, British Jaguars and French Mirages.