BY : RIA Novosti

Russia has flight-tested a MiG-29K/KUB carrier fighter, a spokesperson for the MiG aircraft building corporation said on Wednesday.

She said the 42-minute flight was observed by a delegation of the Indian Navy, due to take delivery of the first MiG-29K/ KUB Russian fighter jets for the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier in May.

The contract, signed on January 20, 2004, stipulates the delivery of 12 single-seat MiG-29K and 4 two-seat MiG-29KUB by 2009, to be later deployed on the Admiral Gorshkov, currently being retrofitted in Russia for the Indian Navy.

After long-running delays and disputes, Russia and India agreed in February to raise refit costs for the aircraft carrier, berthed at the Sevmash shipyard in north Russia for the past 12 years.

The carrier, renamed the Vikramaditya, is to replace India's INS Viraat carrier, which although still operational is 50 years old.

India contracted the $1.5 billion Admiral Gorshkov for its navy in 2004. Moscow has since demanded an additional $1.2 billion, which New Delhi replied was "exorbitant."

The contract to deliver the Admiral Gorshkov to India, signed by state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport with the Indian Navy, covers the modernization of the ship and equipping it with modern weaponry, including MiG-29K Fulcrum aircraft and Ka-27 Helix-A and Ka-31 Helix-B anti-submarine helicopters.