Even as political slug-fest continues over the deal, IAF is throwing its weight behind Rafale, the first of which is to be delivered in September 2019.
CAG notes Boeing's Chinook has lesser load capacity and carries fewer troops as compared to Russian Mi-26. Report says Mi-26 too does not meet all criteria.
The civil aviation ministry could have recognised the enormity of the Air India crash and prepared the AAIB and its investigating team for its sensitivities.
Mini deal will likely see no cut in 10% baseline tariff on Indian exports announced by Trump on 2 April, it is learnt, but additional 26% tariffs are set to be reduced.
India-Russia JV is also racing to deliver 7,000 more AK-203 assault rifles by 15 Aug. These are currently being made with 50% indigenisation and this will surge to 100% by 31 December.
Public, loud, upfront, filled with impropriety and high praise sometimes laced with insults. This is what we call Trumplomacy. But the larger objective is the same: American supremacy.
To illustrate the complete idiocy of the acquisition policy, the CAG report on Rafale is instructive. It took the IAF 9 years to acquire a Doppler Radar while it took the Meteorological Department just 9 months. Same Radar, same specs, for the same requirement i.e. weather forecasting!
Under the circumstances It is best that willing companies establish their manufacturing units in India where Indian government must have at least 40 per cent shares.
Why bother then, doesn’t sound like India is serious. No foreign military aviation company is going to setup shop in a corrupt nation with sovereign risk.
To illustrate the complete idiocy of the acquisition policy, the CAG report on Rafale is instructive. It took the IAF 9 years to acquire a Doppler Radar while it took the Meteorological Department just 9 months. Same Radar, same specs, for the same requirement i.e. weather forecasting!
Under the circumstances It is best that willing companies establish their manufacturing units in India where Indian government must have at least 40 per cent shares.
Why bother then, doesn’t sound like India is serious. No foreign military aviation company is going to setup shop in a corrupt nation with sovereign risk.