IKB-DEF-APR 17, 15 - Indicia Research & Advisory

Indicia Knowledge Brief
A Daily Assessment on Indian Defence and Internal/Homeland Security
April 17, 2015.
Primary aims of Indicia Daily Brief are two-fold. First, it distills infinite information into a
capsule form, thus saving precious time of its clients. Second, it tries to link micro-events
to larger strategic canvas through its analyses, thus providing support knowledge for
better understanding and decision-making.
Indicia Analysis of the Day
The aim of ordering 36 off-the shelf Rafale fighters during Mr Modi’s visit
is seen as a move to speed up the purchase and immediately give the Air
Force at least two squadrons of the jets that it urgently needs to plug
critical gaps.
Foreign fighter jet makers see a multi-billion dollar opportunity in India's
decision to scale back purchases of high-end aircraft from France, which
may free up cash in the world's largest arms importer to buy a new fleet
of mid-range planes.
The high-level committee of the Defence Ministry, which will identify
shipyards capable of building country's next six conventional submarines
under a Rs 50,000-crore scheme, has done extensive survey and will
submit its report at the soonest.
I. National Defence and Security:
PM Modi kickstarts process of critical defence acquisitions:
I asked the President (Francois Hollan-de) to supply us with 36 Rafale jet fighter
planes, the ready-to-fly models,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the joint
press conference during his France visit, adding that terms and conditions of the
contract would be finalised and details worked out. Responding to those who
criticised this move through the media, defence minister Manohar Parrikar
solidly supported Mr Modi, stating in a news network interview that the deal is
good for the country as defence purchases had been lagging behind for many
years. Mr Parrikar also clarified that while both countries have principally
agreed for 36 planes, the final decision regarding how many planes India will
build indigenously, as per the “Make in India” concept, will be decided later when
both India and France discuss and finalise the finer points of the deal. Mr
Parrikar further clarified that Rafale was not going to replace MiG-21, which
instead would be replaced by the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
“Make in India” is a sound and long overdue policy, which the Modi government
is expected to pursue, but it cannot fulfil Indian Air Force’s urgent requirement
of replenishing its much aged, depleted fleet. India’s initial plan was to purchase
18 jets from Dassault Aviation off-the-shelf and assemble 108 others in
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bengaluru. The aim of ordering 36 off-the
shelf Rafale fighters during Mr Modi’s visit is seen as a move to speed up the
purchase and immediately give the Air Force at least two squadrons of the jets
that it urgently needs to plug critical gaps. On BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s
threat to move the court against the Rafale deal, sources confirmed to this
newspaper that Mr Parrikar said that he has known Mr Swamy since 1978 and
that he will soon call him to discuss this deal with him. Mr Parrikar said he was
confident that he will convince Mr Swamy. In a lighter vein, he said, as a student
of IIT Mumbai, he worked for Mr Swamy when he contested for the first time
from Mumbai and ensured his victory. Rafale was chosen in 2012 over rival
offers from the US, Europe and Russia and the original proposal was for 126
Rafale fighter jets. For three years, the deal had been dragging owing to
Dassault’s reluctance to provide guarantees for the aircraft to be produced in
India. In February 2015, Mr Parrikar had urged officials to expedite Rafale
negotiations and submit the final cost negotiation committee report by early
March, just in time before this financial year ending on March 31. A major
stumbling block in the talks was that Dassault refused to give warranty for the
108 aircraft that would be built by HAL. Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force was
concerned over the French firm’s rigidity to resolve the issue. But Dassault
cannot be blamed for this rigidity because the track record of HAL is not very
encouraging. However, some hard bargaining must have resulted in the Rafale
contract being agreed to on the final price of an estimated $20 billion for the 126
aircraft.....
Source: http://www.asianage.com/india/pm-modi-kickstarts-process-critical-defence-acquisitions-180
*
RPT-Fighter jet makers eye Indian riches after scaled-back
French deal:
Foreign fighter jet makers see a multi-billion dollar opportunity in India's
decision to scale back purchases of high-end aircraft from France, which may
free up cash in the world's largest arms importer to buy a new fleet of mid-range
planes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced last week that India would
buy 36 French Rafale jets for an estimated $4.3 billion, in effect ending talks on a
larger deal for 126 planes that would have sucked up some $20 billion and
locked rivals out of the market for a generation. Sweden's Saab and U.S.
Lockheed Martin are set to re-pitch their Gripen and F-16 planes, eliminated in
the Rafale tender, as the kind of lighter, single-engine aircraft that Defence
Minister Manohar Parrikar said the air force needed to rebuild its fleet. "We are
here and we are ready," said a source close to Saab. Saab was proposing to
establish "fully-fledged production" of the Gripen in India alongside a local
partner. Lockheed Martin may also tout its F-16, one of the most widely used
fighter planes in the world, as a replacement for Russian-made MiGs that are a
mainstay in India's fleet, industry sources said. Lockheed Martin declined to
comment. "The light combat aircraft opportunity is going to be there in the near
future because the MiGs have to be replaced really fast," said Delhi-based
defence commentator and analyst Neelam Mathews. Russia, traditionally India's
largest arms supplier, is hopeful it can sell more of its Sukhoi Su-30s, a plane
partly assembled in India, to tide over the air force while it waits two years to
receive the first Rafales. Foreign manufacturers have also welcomed India's
decision to negotiate directly with the French government for further Rafales....
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/16/india-defence-idUSL4N0XD4TO20150416
*
Manohar Parrikar visits South Korea to boost defence ties:
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar reached Seoul on April 16, where he will be
making a bid to boost defence ties with South Korea. On his first official visit to
South Korea, Parrikar will co-chair the India-RoK (Republic of Korea) Defence
Ministerial meeting with his Korean counterpart Gen. Han Min-Koo on April 17,
IANS quoted an official statement as saying. Parrikar is accompanied by the
defence secretary and senior Indian military and civilian officials from the
defence ministry and an Indian defence industry delegation. According to
defence ministry, during this three-day visit, Parrikar will hold extensive
discussions on the entire gamut of the bilateral defence relationship and regional
and global issues of mutual interest....
Source:
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/manohar-parrikar-arrives-in-south-korea-han-minkoo/1/430522.html
*
Manohar Parrikar to discuss defence cooperation with South
Korea's minister:
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will on April 16 co-chair the India-RoK
(Republic of Korea) Defence Ministerial meeting with his Korean counterpart
General Han Min-Koo. In a bid to boost defence ties with South Korea, Parrikar,
who reached on April 16, is accompanied by the defence secretary and senior
Indian military and civilian officials from the Defence Ministry and an Indian
defence industry delegation. According to the Defence Ministry, during this
three-day visit, Parrikar will hold extensive discussions on the entire gamut of
the bilateral defence relationship and regional and global issues of mutual
interest. Officials said both sides will "identify ways to upgrade the defence
relationship". The Defence Minister will also meet the chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Choi Yun-hee, Minister Chang Myoung-Jin of the Korean
Defence Acquisition Program Administration, and National Security Adviser Kim
Kwan-Jin. Parrikar's South Korea visit comes after a recent visit to Japan focused
on boosting defence ties. The move is being seen as an attempt by India to create
a grouping to halt China's growing aggressive stance in the region.
Source:
http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/manohar-parrikar-to-discuss-defence-cooperation-withsouth-koreas-minister-today_1580122.html
*
All About the INS Visakhapatnam, Navy's Most Powerful
Destroyer:
Three days before it is launched, fresh details have emerged about the Navy's
newest destroyer, the Project 15B Visakhapatnam Class. Four ships of this class
are being built in a Rs. 29,340 crore project. While the first ship will be named
INS Visakhapatnam, NDTV has learnt that two of her three sister ships may be
called INS Porbandar and INS Marmagoa. The final ship of the class will likely
bear the name of a port in Gujarat. The names of the warships will need to be
cleared by the President before being finalised. At 7,300 tonnes, Visakhapatnam
will be the largest destroyer commissioned in the country and will be equipped
with the Israeli Multi Function Surveillance Threat Alert Radar (MF-STAR) which
will provide targeting information to 32 Barak 8 long-range surface to air
missiles onboard the warship. The Barak 8 missile being co-developed with
Israel is at present being integrated in the Navy's new destroyer, INS Kolkata and
will be test-fired by October this year. Like the INS Kolkata, the Visakhpatnam
will be able to fire 16 long range Brahmos anti-ship missiles. There are some
important differences between the Navy's Kolkata class destroyers and the
Visakhapatnam class though they share the same hull-design and Ukrainian-built
Zorya gas turbines.....
Source:
755476
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/all-about-the-ins-visakhapatnam-navys-newest-destroyer-
*
India's largest warship INS Vikramaditya to finally get its own
air defence system:
India's largest warship INS Vikaramaditya will finally get its own air defence
system, courtesy of another ship that may be decommissioned soon. The Navy
plans to transfer an Israeli Barak missile system from a Godavari-class ship to
the aircraft carrier that was bought from the Russians. This will be a shot in the
arm for the over Rs 15,000-crore aircraft carrier that has been without a defence
system, since it joined the Indian Navy in November 16, 2013. "We have a plan to
install a system from one of our ships, which perhaps may be decommissioned at
a subsequent stage. The system is operational and we have certain plans," ViceAdmiral A V Subhedar, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition told
reporters. The aircraft carrier does not have any self-defence weapons on board,
barring a chaff and flare system. An escort group of warships had been sent to
Russia to bring the carrier to India. The new installation will take place during
the ongoing 'short refit' that is been carried out on the carrier at Karwar.
Interestingly, it does not even have a close-in weapon system (CIWS) to shoot
down incoming air attacks at very close range. Sources said a CIWS, again from a
Godavari-class ship, will also be installed on it during the ongoing refit.
Vikramaditya, a floating airfield, has an overall length of about 284 metres and a
maximum beam of about 60 metres, stretching as much as three football fields
put together. Standing about 20 storeys tall from the keel to the highest point,
the ship has a total of 22 decks and carries 1,600 personnel....
Source:
http://www.firstpost.com/india/indias-largest-warship-ins-vikramaditya-to-finally-get-its-ownair-defence-system-2200378.html
*
Can add 6 LCA squadrons in 4-5 years: Defence Minister Manohar
Parrikar:
India's defence R&D establishment will have to fire on all cylinders to fast-track
the meandering Tejas light combat aircraft, which is still not fully operational or
combat ready, if it does not want the Narendra Modi government to critically reexamine the entire project. The Tejas project, in fact, may even get some
competition in the light-weight fighter category. Defence minister Manohar
Parrikar said "some other single-engine, lighter fighter" other than the homegrown Tejas could also be considered for a "Make in India" project to replace the
obsolete MiG-21s. Restricting the acquisition of expensive twin-engine French
Rafale fighters to just 36 for now, instead of the original plan for 126 MMRCA
(medium multi-role combat aircraft), Parrikar stressed he was trying to plug
operational gaps in airpower by improving serviceability of "heavy-weight"
Sukhoi-30MKIs as well as "pushing" the DRDO-HAL combine to deliver Tejas
faster. "Don't compare Rafale, a top-end fighter, to MiG-21s, which we will phase
out in about six to 10 years. The replacement for MiG-21s will be Tejas or some
other single-engine, lighter aircraft. Tejas ki maar bhi kaafi hai (Tejas packs a
punch) and it's much better than a MiG-21, but has certain limitations," said
Parrikar. Though some interpreted this to mean impending doom for the Tejas
project, a top official dismissed it by clarifying the government was "just keeping
all options open" to make "numbers" with IAF down to just 34 fighter squadrons
when 44 are needed. "There could be scope for a single-engine fighter, which
would be much cheaper than Rafale, somewhere between the capabilities of
Rafale and Tejas," he said.
Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/46928244.cms
*
Can HAL Finally Get Its Act Together for Tejas Push:
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) missed another Internal deadline, which went
unnoticed in National media. HAL which has skipped many deadlines in the past
again failed to get its act together and failed to deliver series production (SP-2)
variant of India’s Light Combat Aircraft Tejas before March deadline. The
collapse of MMRCA tender has left a lot of uncertainties in the procurement of
fighter jets for Indian air force which has been in downward spin in fleet
strength for last decade. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar is closely
monitoring production of indigenous developed Lca Tejas project but it seems it
has failed to raise any alarm bells in HAL which wants more orders for Tejas MK1 but is non-committal on delivery schedules of already ordered jets which are
missing delivery schedule. HAL as per delivery schedule supposed to deliver 4 SP
(SP2-SP-5) aircrafts this year, we are already in mid of April and not a single
aircraft has been delivered to Indian Air force commented disappointed Defence
expert Ranesh Rajan . At this rate, it will be hard to squeeze in the delivery of 3
jets said Rajan. HAL which set up a production line for Tejas MK-1 has failed to
outsource lot of the components required for manufacturing jets which are
leading to subsequent delays in production of this aircrafts blamed Sources close
to idrw.org. IAF wanted HAL to ramp up production of Tejas MK-I jets and
deliver 16 jets from 2016 onwards from initial delivery schedule of 2017, but
HAL has been asking IAF to place bigger order for Tejas MK-I which IAF is
reluctant, but slippage of delivery schedules have also raised question mark on
HAL ability to produce Tejas fast enough to raise confidence in IAF.
Source: http://idrw.org/can-hal-finally-get-its-act-together-for-tejas-push/
*
Manohar Parrikar to axe former Defence Minister AK Antony's
rule on arms deals:
Modi government Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is set to axe UPA defence
minister AK Antony's most important rule — and as a result, India's defence
purchase programme may at last get speeded up. Antony had decreed that any
defence purchase must be put on hold in the event of a complaint or allegation
against the deal. ET has learnt that the Modi government has decided to nix this
rule. A procurement process will now continue regardless of any complaint,
which will be simultaneously examined. This has huge implications for India's
defence programme since many major acquisitions get severely delayed as the
ministry of defence (MoD) examines complaints. Senior officials familiar with the
matter, who spoke to ET on the condition that they not be identified, said the
new rule will be enshrined in the new Defence Procurement Policy that's
expected to be in place by May. Officials said revoking the Antony era rule was
crucial because in the fiercely competitive and high-stakes defence
manufacturing industry, players and other interested parties would often ensure
a complaint was filed against a rival....
Source:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/manohar-parrikar-to-axe-former-defenceminister-ak-antonys-rule-on-arms-deals/articleshow/46951321.cms
*
Navy's new stealth destroyer INS Visakhapatnam to be
launched:
Indian Navy's new destroyer, Visakhapatnam, with enhanced capability to
operate in nuclear, biological and chemical atmosphere, will be launched in
Mumbai on April 19. The ship is the first of the four follow follow-up order of the
Kolkata class warships and will give a major flip to India's maritime capabilities
when it is inducted in 2018. Launch of the ship means that it is being put into the
sea. The total cost of the project is little over Rs 29,600 crore. "Kolkata Class did
not have a full-fledged Total Atmosphere Control System (TAC). The TAC system
provides you with the capability of operating in a fall-out region, be it a nuclear,
chemical or biological almost endlessly...because the complete air being taken
inside is through nuclear, biological and chemical filters except in the machinery
compartment," Rear Admiral AK Saxena, Director General (Naval Design) said.
Those entering the machinery compartment in a fall-out region will have to wear
specialised masks to protect themselves. The ship, named Visakhapatnam
(Project 15 B), a stealth destroyer, is 65 per cent indigenous and has a number of
weapon systems which have been made at home. At 7,300 tonnes,
Visakhapatnam will be the largest destroyer commissioned by the Indian Navy
and will be equipped with the Israeli Multi Function Surveillance Threat Alert
Radar (MF-STAR). This will provide targeting information to 32 Barak 8 longrange surface to air missiles onboard the warship, that is being co-developed by
India with Israel. The Barak 8 missile is being integrated in to the Navy's new
destroyer, INS Kolkata and will be test-fired by October, Navy officials said....
Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/navys-new-stealth-destroyer-ins-visakhapatnam-to-be-launched-onsunday/540316-3.html
*
INS Vikramaditya to get Barak-1 from de-commissioned Ship:
India’s most powerful warship, the INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier, described
as a sitting duck because it lacked an air defence system, will finally be fitted
with one from another ship that is soon to be de-commissioned. The arming of
the carrier with a close-in weapons system a year and a half after it was
commissioned is just the latest illustration of the Indian Navy’s struggle with
finding the means to match its requirements. Next week, the navy’s latest
warship, the Visakhapatnam, is set to be launched, or put to water, in Mumbai.
The launch means it is three years away from being commissioned. But this is a
rare instance of the navy being happy with the schedule of a warship. Christened
after the east coast city, the destroyer is a follow-on of the Kolkata-class that was
commissioned last year. The INS Kolkata was delayed by nearly four years partly
because of tardy deliveries of the propulsion system. Like the Kolkata, the
Visakhapatnam is also being powered by four gas turbines from Ukrainian firm
Zorya-Mashproekt. The engines have been ordered and we do not foresee a
problem, Vice-Admiral Ashok Subhedar, controller of warship production and
acquisitions (CWP&A), said. “We are keeping tabs on the developments (in
Ukraine) and Russia will help out.” The Indian Air Force, which is also dependent
on supplies from Ukraine, was confident that the turbulence in the erstwhile
Soviet Republic would not affect it. But five Antonov 32 aircraft that were sent to
Ukraine for upgrades have been stuck in that country since August. India’s
military ties with the erstwhile Soviet Union (of which Ukraine was a part) run
so deep and so long that hostilities in that part of the world still threaten to hold
vital Indian army, navy and air force platforms hostage to geopolitical whim....
Source: http://idrw.org/ins-vikramaditya-to-get-barak-1-from-de-commissioned-ship/
*
Def Committee Report on shipyards for P75-I Project this month:
The high-level committee of the Defence Ministry, which will identify shipyards
capable of building country's next six conventional submarines under a Rs
50,000-crore scheme, will submit its report by this month end. Besides the
state-run shipyards, private players like Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Pipavav
Defence & Offshore Engineering Company, in which Anil Ambani-led Reliance
has announced to pick up a controlling stake, is eyeing the mega deal. The
Committee has visited all the shipyards in the country and will submit its report
by April end, Vice Admiral A V Subhedar said. The senior Naval officer, who
heads the Committee having seven members, besides him, though remained
tight-lipped about the findings. Defence sources, however, said both the L&T and
Pipavav is likely to make the cut besides the state-run Mazagon Dock Limited
(MDL). MDL is already making six Scorpene submarines. Asked if MDL would be
the natural winner, sources said, the eco-system has to be developed and hinted
that the order could go to a particular shipyard which could then outsource a
part of project to others. India had in October decided to build six submarines at
a cost of about Rs 50,000 crore under Project 75-India, rather than source it from
outside. The government has set-up an eight-member committee to study both
public and private shipyards. The ministry will issue Request for Proposal (RFP)
to specific ports that will be identified on the basis of the study which will look
into whether they have the capacity and manpower to build the six submarines
in the same port only besides other parameters. The submarines will be Air
Independent Propulsion (AIP) capable that will enable them to stay underwater
for longer than a conventional submarine, besides, having enhanced stealth
features. The Navy currently has 13 operational submarines and the target set in
1999 was to have 24 by 2030.
The previous UPA government had gone in
for six Scorpene submarines and the first is likely to be delivered only in
September 2016.
Source:
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/def-committee-report-on-shipyards-forp75-i-project-this-month-115041600632_1.html
Make in India: Shipping Ministry urges Defence Ministry to order vessels
from domestic firms:
The shipbuilding industry is riding the 'Make in India' plank to urge the defence
sector to order vessels from the domestic companies instead of turning to firms
abroad. The ministry of shipping has written to the defence ministry to
encourage Indian shipbuilding sector by allowing domestic firms to build some
of its vessels from a total order book that runs into over $92 billion (about Rs 5.7
lakh crore). The shipping ministry is batting for not just public sector entities
like the Cochin Shipyard but also private companies including Bharti Shipyard
and ABG Shipyard among others, to promote the entire industry. The industry
has been in the doldrums for the past four years due to a fall in orders from
shipping companies. Several companies are undergoing corporate debt
restructuring (CDR) or running into severe losses. The majority of the orders
with the Cochin Shipyard are from the Navy and Air Force, helping keep the
company afloat.....
Source:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/shipping-/-transport/make-inindia-shipping-ministry-urges-defence-ministry-to-order-vessels-from-domesticfirms/articleshow/46952545.cms
*
Make in India: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in
talks with Swedish defence company Saab Group to set up unit in state:
At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is busy drumming up support for
his high-decibel Make In India campaign, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra
Fadnavis has quietly initiated talks with Swedish defence company Saab Group
to set up a production unit in his state. Just back from the Hanover Fair 2015,
where he had gone to promote Maharashtra, Fadnavis spoke exclusively to ET on
April 16, saying that his government has begun a dialogue with Sweden's Saab
Group to team up with Pune-based Bharat Forge for setting up a defence
production unit in Maharashtra soon. Fadnavis said Saab expressed interest in
setting up a manufacturing base in Maharashtra and even presented a business
plan with transfer of technology and a proposal to collaborate with Indian
companies if land and power are assured to them. Saab Group is a Swedish
aerospace and defence company specialising in radar and avionics. Fadnavis held
a series of meetings with Swedish defence, aerospace, radar and avionics
experts, and showcased the obvious advantages of Maharashtra — Air Force
maintenance command in Nagpur and Indian aeronautic manufacturing unit in
Nashik. The Maharashtra CM said his aim was to market Maharashtra as the
largest base for the German engineering industry.
Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/make-in-india-maharashtra-chief-ministerdevendra-fadnavis-in-talks-with-swedish-defence-company-saab-group-to-set-up-unit-instate/articleshow/46952256.cms
*
Impatience Seals Worst Possible Defence Deal:
With the price negotiations meandering into the fourth year, an impatient
Narendra Modi intervened, circumventing the elaborate Request for Proposal
(RFP) system of competitive bidding under which the medium multi-role combat
aircraft (MMRCA) deal was initiated. The prime minister decided to purchase the
Rafales “off the shelf” without transfer of technology at the government-togovernment (G2G) level. This was portrayed as Modi’s “out of the box” solution
for a problem that didn’t really exist. Plainly, he mistook the hard, extended,
bargaining between the two sides as evidence of red tape, and cutting it as his
unique achievement. But impatience is a liability in international relations and
can cost the country plenty. Rather than pressuring French president Francois
Hollande and the French aviation major, Dassault, which is in dire straits and
was in no position to resist sustained Indian pressure to deliver the Rafale and
the technologies involved in toto to India, Modi eased off, promising a munificent
$5billion-$8 billion for 36 Rafales off the shelf minus any reference to the L1
(lowest cost) MMRCA tender offer, possibly a buy of another 30 of them, and no
onerous technology transfer obligation. It is a turn that must have astonished
Hollande and Dassault with its exceptional generosity, surpassing in its muddleheaded excess Narasimha Rao’s handout of Rs 6,000 crore in 1996 to Russia to
prevent the closure of the Sukhoi design bureau and production plant in Irkutsk,
in return for nothing, not even joint share of the intellectual property rights for
the Su-30MKI technologies subsequently produced there, which could have kickstarted the Indian aerospace sector. Then again, India is a phenomenally rich
country, don’t you know?—the proverbial white knight rescuing the Russian
aviation industry one day, French aerospace companies the next. But let’s try and
see if sense can be made of Modi’s Rafale deal. Much has been said about the G2G
channel as a means of securing low prices. The record of acquisitions from the
United States in the direct sales mode, however, shows no marked drop-off in the
price for the C-17s and C-130J airlifters and the P-8I maritime reconnaissance
planes. But in terms of maintenance, almost all the 20-odd ANTPQ-36/37
artillery fire-spotting radar units bought by the army from the Pentagon, for
instance, are offline due to the paucity of spares. Supplier states in this situation
routinely manipulate the spares supply to configure politico-military outcomes
they desire. No saying what France will do with respect to the entire fleet of IAF
Rafales in the years to come. Usually, the practice also is to sell the platform
cheap but rake in extortionist profit selling onboard weapons and spares. In any
case, it is unlikely the price of a fully loaded Rafale will be less than $200 million
each or $7.2 billion for 36 Rafales, $13 billion for 66 of these aircraft, and $25.2
billion for 126 planes....
Source:
http://www.newindianexpress.com/columns/Impatience-Seals-Worst-Possible-DefenceDeal/2015/04/17/article2767483.ece
Fadnavis tweets create buzz on MMRCA deal:
Amid speculations over purchase of fighter aircraft for the IAF, three tweets by
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have created a buzz in the
national capital on whether the Narendra Modi government would ask a foreign
vendor to set up a manufacturing plant for fighter aircraft in India. Fadnavis
visited Swedish firm Saab’s aircraft manufacturing facility at Linköping on April
15 and thanked the company for showing interest in “Make in India” and “Make
in Maharashtra” schemes. He met Saab Chairman Marcus Wallenberg and
promised a defence manufacturing policy in Maharashtra soon. The tweets
added fuel to speculations on the fate of the medium multi-role combat aircraft
(MMRCA) deal because they follow Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s
suggestions that a single-engine light weight aircraft can replace the Indian Air
Force’s ageing MiG-21 and MiG-27 fleets that would be phased out in the next six
to 10 years.
Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/472127/fadnavis-tweets-create-buzz-mmrca.html
II
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