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Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 6
Battle readiness of the Air Force will hinge upon decision-making speed of the government and the Ministry of Defence. A global tender inviting bids to make 110 fighter jets in India closed on Friday, even as the ministry is yet to finalise contours of a production policy.
The same six competitors are in the fray that had participated in a similar competition announced 11 years ago.
India has announced a “strategic partnership” model that envisages Indian private companies to partner foreign makers and even absorb the technology to make these jets.
The guidelines of the policy are yet to be announced. The ministry hopes to do so before trials of competing planes begin. Of the 110 aircraft, 15% (or 16-17 planes) will be in fly-away condition and the remaining 85% will have to be made in India under “strategic partnership”. India wants original manufacturer to transfer design, development, manufacturing and repair expertise to India. Securing against any whimsical imposition of sanctions, the foreign manufacturer will have to provide government assurances from their home country for the transfer of technology, manufacture, repair, overhaul, upgrade and also for all subsequent authorisations needed to negotiate, sign and execute contracts with India.
Faced with a dwindling fleet of fighter jets, India, in April, launched an ambitious plan to get a foreign military aviation manufacturer to make 110 fighter jets in India. The Tribune was the first to report in its edition dated February 22 that the IAF would float a fresh tender for fighter jets as its fleet in dwindling (down to 32 squadrons against the need for 42) while the production of the indigenous plane, the Tejas, is yet to pick up. For India and the global manufacturers, it is a re-run of the 2007 tender for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft.
110 to be bought
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