India's government, its pockets bulging after a 28 percent hike in the defence budget, has cleared the purchase of 10 French-made Mirage fighters, seen here at a New Delhi defence exhibition in this July 30, 2000 file photograph. The purchase slated for later this month will replace planes lost from a batch of about 40 Mirage 2000s acquired in 1986.

KK/HL/JD