Bangalore: India has started producing Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft and first of 140 numbers to be manufactured under licensed production from Russia would be delivered in 2004, chairman of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) N R Mohanty said.

Mohanty told reporters that the time schedule to produce all of them has been compressed from 14 years to 10 years. "All will be produced by 2013-14," he said.

Mohanty said price negotiations with Russia for producing the fighter aircraft have been completed, adding that the first Sukhoi-30 MKI would be out of production line in 2004.

Sukhoi-30 MKI will have a peak production of 17 numbers in an year, according to him.

To a question, he said during his recent visit to France, he had preliminary discussions with Dassault Aviation on a certain area of co-operation, but nothing has been finalised.

PTI