Special request made to US in 2015 to hold last C-17 Globemaster aircraft; MoD process stuck despite approval.
New Delhi: India is on the verge of losing the last available C-17 heavy transport aircraft that it lobbied hard to procure due to red tape. There is also a possibility of another country snagging the much valued lifter because of India’s delays.
The Indian Air Force has been keen to add to its current fleet of 10 C-17 Globemaster aircraft that have taken part in rescue and relief missions, besides carrying out operational missions across the country.
The IAF had cleared a proposal in 2015 to buy three more heavy lifters at a cost of Rs 8,100 crore but the long running procurement process meant that its manufacturer, Boeing, ran out of aircraft to sell. The C-17 production line has been shut down and only one aircraft was left for offer to India.
While the Indian side made efforts at the highest levels to procure the last available C-17 in the world – requesting Washington to block sales request from other countries interested in the aircraft – the bureaucratic processes are not yet complete.
Officials told ThePrint that Washington could rescind the offer due to repeated delays by the defence ministry to send the formal ‘Letter of Acceptance’ (LOA). An LOA is part of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route that India and the US follow for direct government-to-government sales.
Sources said that while the Indian side had until October to respond to the LOA, an extension was requested from Washington to extend the date until November. Now, a further extension has been sought until next year and that could derail the procurement process further.
Delays and extensions have remained a norm for most Indian defence procurements over the years and there have been several instances when equipment was finally bought after more than five years’ delay and at a higher cost.
In 2011, India had bought 10 such aircraft at a cost of $4.7 billion. The contract also had a follow-on clause to procure six more aircraft. However, with limited resources available, the IAF had asked for an additional three, impressed by its abilities, especially in rescue and relief missions in India and the neighbourhood.
Whataf… Man why so agitated?
Its our money and our abilities… Why chillies up your are.
We neither beg like porkies nor steal like chink loo. We pay and buy.
Every country has issues, so do we. Chinks have no freedom Indians have corruption… Chill man else you’ll die in your hate.
These jumla people must be made answerable accountable and delay in this case must be punishment.
Indians. Chinese are making their own aircraft while you have begging others to sell since independence. When will Indians ever create your own aircraft? Your Tejas fly very pathetic. Even if you purchase the American overpriced junk, you think you will still win China in case of war? Maybe so, after you talking tirelessly loud without any substance for even a little while. Indians mouth are bigger than their brains. Pathetic Losers.
Same old story on Defence procurments. We read lot of Articles in paid Media propaganda about image furnishing on Defence preparedness and faster procurement under Govt but things don’t change in practice. Why bcz no one is held responsible for sitting on files. If this is the case for Defence procurement we can imagine what is fate of other files hidden in cupboards of Ministries, some even may get lost or destroyed?
What else you can expect from Jumla people.