CBI has booked London-based arms dealer Sudhir Choudhrie, his son Bhanu, and the British aerospace major for corruption in procurement of 115 Hawk jets for the training of IAF pilots.
The CBI has alleged that former Rolls Royce India director Tim Jones, Choudhrie, and others conspired to deceive the Indian govt in procurement of Hawk aircraft during the UPA era.
While all major defence aviation companies have turned up at the Aero India show in Bengaluru, many have reduced the size and seniority of their delegations.
For an industry globally classified as hazardous, protections such as health insurance and a provident fund for workers are necessities. In Sivakasi, they remain elusive.
The industry forecasts exports are set to grow 16% in 2025-26, boosted by surplus domestic production and a drive to push into 26 underserved global markets with strong potential.
Taylor ‘Fema’ Hiester, commander of USAF F-16 Viper Demo Team, hit out at air show organisers for continuing with the show after Wing Commander Namansh Syal lost his life in the incident.
It is a brilliant, reasonably priced, and mostly homemade aircraft with a stellar safety record; only two crashes in 24 years since its first flight. But its crash is a moment of introspection.
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