The Indian Navy will introduce four new MiG-29 K carrier-based multi-role fighter aircraft in December 2009.
The first batch of four MiG-29s will operate from the new aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya once it has been renovated.
The delivery of the aircraft carrier has been delayed and until work is finished the fighters are expected to operate from the naval aviation base at Goa, according to expressbuzz.com.
The MiG-29 K squadron has been named Black Panther by the Indian Navy while the pilots of this squadron have been trained in carrier operations in the US and Russia.
India ordered a total of 16 fighter aircraft as part of the $1.2bn Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier deal signed in 2004.
The aircraft will perform carrier operations covering warships and also participate in attack and air space domination roles by taking on air-to-ground targets.
