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French Mirage no more interested in IAF deal
New Delhi: French aviation company Dassault and the supplier of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets, are reportedly unhappy with the Indian Defence Ministry for the delay in taking a decision in the acquisition of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets. This comes in the wake of Union Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee statement that " Request for Proposals" (RFP) for purchase of 126 fighter jets for the Indian Air Force were open to any manufacturers," which he made while inaugurating India's biggest defence exhibition Defexpo 2006. Though the Indian Government has not yet floated any global tender, the race for the dollar ten billion deal has already heated up among whose and who of the global defence manufacturers, the notable being the US aviation giant- Boeing, Lockhedmartin, Swedish SAAB and Russian defence manufacturers Rosoboronexport. French company Dassault conspicuous by its absence in the Defexpo-2006 also has not taken any decision to field other expensive and heavier aircraft like Rafale fighter.
The
French companies are impatient and want to withdraw their offer of Mirage
2000-5, as they "cannot wait anymore for the Indians to make up their
mind on whether or not to buy the Mirage 2000-5 as it was difficult to
the sustain the cost of an idle production chain." India is unlikely to
acquire the fighter aircraft in a hurry. The country's armament purchase
is currently at a record low and is less than Rupees 80 crores (USD 18
million) compared to Rupees 160 crores(USD 36 million) in 2002-03. The
recent slump has been attributed to the controversies in the defence deals
of the previous NDA government, which has prevented the current regime
to go slow on the procurement. But the Indian defence currently is in
dire need of finalising purchase of 126 multi-role combat aircraft, 155MM
artillery guns and state-of-art surveillance equipment. The Defexpo was
today buzzing with the reports of Swedish SAAB companies high pitch campaign
to put forward the Gripen fighter jets for the IAF. Although unsure of
U.S. administration giving clearance to fighter jets sale to India; Boeing
with FA-18 Hornet, and Lockhedmartin F-16 are the current favorites to
mop up this lucrative deal in-spite of tough competition thrown up by
Russia's MIG-29 and British Typhoons.
-Feb
2, 2006