Focus on self-sufficiency in defence sector.
By Dileep Thekkethil
BENGALURU: The Indian Air Force will be become one of the biggest beneficiaries of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make In India” initiative as the government plans to build 90 out of 126 medium combat jets in India.
The new development is a breakthrough in India’s run to self-sufficiency in defence sector, which is one of the biggest expenditure in the yearly budget, reported The Times of India. The current annual budget allocated a whopping 2.29 trillion rupees for defence spending, out of which a lion share goes toward buying of sophisticated weaponry and combat flights from foreign countries. Currently Russia is India’s top military partner, followed by France and the United States.
According to reports, the new Request for Proposal will be drafted soon after the new Defence Procurement Procedure comes in place.
The project that will add 90 indigenously built combat jests to the Indian Air Force fleet is expected to cost around $300 million dollars, the biggest spending yet under the “Make in India” initiative.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said during the budget presentation that his government will give the initial down payment to French Aircraft builders Dassault, for the pending orders of 197 light helicopters, 145 Ultra-light Howitzers, 15 Apache attack helicopters and 22 CH-47F Chinook medium lift helicopters.
According to sources, the Indian Air Force requires 126 MMRCAs out of which the government had earlier signed an agreement with France for 36 Rafale fighter jets. There was confusion over how the defence ministry is planning to fill the gap of 90 jets, which has been now answered.
With the military spending of Pakistan and neighboring China increasing hastily, and China coming close to Pakistan, there was an escalating fear as Indian Air Force unequipped to withstand a joint military attack of its neighbours.
In such a scenario, the current move of the defence ministry to make jets in India will be a major step ahead in manufacturing of indigenous combat aircrafts.
“An RFP is expected to be drafted soon for making 90 MMRCAs in India. A global tender will be floated. The private sector will also have an active participation,” said an official from the defence ministry.
When India floated the bid for 126 MMRCAs, many foreign aircraft manufacturers came forward with proposals out of which France’s Dassault Aviation got the contract to build 36 Rafale jest. According to sources, the government will invite all original bidders once again for partnering with the Make in India project.
During the early bidding, aircraft manufacturers such as Russia’s MIG-35 (RAC MiG), Swedish Gripen, Dassault, American Lockheed Martin and Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet and Eurofighter Typhoon made by a consortium of British, German, Spanish and Italian firms had sent in their proposals, out of which Dassault was selected.
1 Comment
“The project that will add 90 indigenously built combat jests to the Indian Air Force fleet”
What are combat jests? Are you going to joke people to death??