Russia has delivered three Mi-35M Hind assault helicopters to Indonesia, a military source said on Thursday.
Russia signed an agreement withIndonesia in September 2007 to provide a $1 billion credit line to theSoutheast Asian country for Russian weapons purchases. Indonesiaplanned to buy ten Mi-17 transport helicopters, five Mi-35Ms, sixSukhoi fighters and two Kilo-class submarines financed by the credit.
Jakarta became one of Russia's majorarms customers in 1999 when the United States tightened an embargo onarms sales to the country over alleged human rights violations.
Washington has since lifted the ban,but Indonesia, the world's most populous Islamic country, continues toturn to Russia for its military hardware imports.
Moscow has already delivered threeSu-27SKM fighters to Indonesia as the final part of an August 2007 $300million deal for six of the Sukhoi fighters.
The agreement followed a 2003 deal on the purchase of four fighter jets by Indonesia from Russia.
The planes will take part in a military parade dedicated to Indonesian Armed Forces Day on October 5.
The Mi-35M is an export version of theMi-24 Hind that was used extensively in Afghanistan. The Mi-24/35 canbe used for transportation, assault and medical evacuation tasks.
