A Bulgarian delegation led by Defense Minister Boyko Noev arrived in New Delhi Sunday to promote several arms deals, including the sale of automatic weapons, the Press Trust of India reported.
Noev and deputy chief of the Bulgarian armed forces Major General Orlin Morinchen are slated to meet Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes on Monday to push for major arms contracts.
According to defense sources, the timing of the Bulgarian visit "assumes significance" as India may be casting around to procure at least 100,000 AK-47 assault rifles.
The army says it needs the automatic weapons for its units engaged in counter-insurgency operations in India's strife-torn northeast, as well as Kashmir.
The marketing chiefs of four top Bulgarian armament firms Kintex, Aresenal, Arcus and Electron Commission Organization are part of the Bulgarian defense minister's delegation.
The Bulgarian firms deal with upgrading Russian-made T-72M battletanks, building multi-barrel rocket launching systems, providing naval and airforce spares as well as 130-millimetre and 120-millimetre artillery guns.
Last month, Indian artillery chief Lieutenant General Vinay Shankar, director general of artillery, told reporters the army was interested in artillery guns with a range exceeding 40 kilometers (25 miles).
Shankar said the Indian army was likely to purchase artillery guns superior to the Swedish Bofors howitzers it used with great effect during last year's conflict with Pakistan in Kashmir.
The 105-millimetre Bofors guns have a maximum range of 35 kilometers in ideal conditions but its Indian-made shells during the fighting were found lacking in range or accuracy -- NEW DELHI (AFP)
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