NEW DELHI — Russia has assured India it is cementing measures to avoid delays in the supply of defense equipment and spares. India has been upset with Russia for not sticking to the delivery schedules of contracted weapon systems, creating roadblocks in the transfer of technology, hiking costs midway through the execution of agreements and failing to provide uninterrupted supplies of spares or regular maintenance.

NEW DELHI — India successfully test fired its indigenous, nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface Agni-II ballistic missile off the coast of the eastern state of Orissa late last week. “The trial of the surface-to-surface missile, conducted from launch complex-IV of the Integrated Test Range [ITR], was fully successful, meeting the mission objectives,” ITR Director S.P. Dash says. The missile lifted off from the launch complex on Wheeler’s Island at 9.32 a.m. local time Sept. 30 and splashed down off the Bay of Bengal after a 9-min. flight, he says.

NEW DELHI — The Indian air force (IAF) soon will place a follow-on order for six C-130J medium-lift transport aircraft, says Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne. “Talks with the U.S. government and Lockheed Martin for the new batch of aircraft are on, and the order is expected to be placed by January 2012,” Browne says. In January 2008, the IAF signed a deal for six C-130Js for about $1.1 billion. Deliveries started in December 2010; five have arrived so far.