December 9, 2002	Monday	Shawwal 4,1423

NEW DELHI, Dec 8: India’s defence ministry has given the go ahead to its armed forces to purchase low-level transportable radars to help detect intrusions by spy planes in mountainous and desert terrain, local media reported Sunday.

The Indian Air Force submitted a proposal to purchase the radars six years ago but it has been ignored until recently, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency said.

But after a reported increase in the number of flyovers by stealth aircraft, the Indian government approved the 90 million-dollar project.

Defence Minister George Fernandes said Israeli, French and German companies were candidates to provide the radars, PTI reported.

IAF experts said the radars, which can be carried by hand or installed in light vehicles, will give the Indian military the capability to spy up to 60 kilometres (37 miles) into enemy airspace.

The radar is also ideal for detecting intrusions over mountainous terrain, military experts quoted by PTI said.

On Saturday an unmanned spy plane from Pakistan intruded into Indian air space in the disputed region of Kashmir, army sources said.

“It was flying at high altitude and presented a small target solution. It was hovering around an un-strategic sector so we let it go,” the source said.—AFP