Centre hints at issuing an open tender for IAF’s mega 114 fighter jets deal

New Delhi [India], October 29 (ANI): The government agrees with requirement projected by the Indian Air Force to buy 114 multirole fighter aircraft and would consider adopting a non-controversial model for the acquisition of these advanced planes, which will have to be made in India, official sources said.

The Indian Air Force has been pushing the case for buying 114 multirole fighter aircraft to augment its fleet, which has been facing shortages of modern 4.5 generation aircraft.

The sources said that in 2016, the government procured 36 Rafale aircraft under emergency procurement to meet the urgent requirements of the force.

However, the matter became controversial, which resulted in the matter reaching the Supreme Court, where matters of national security had to be discussed in public.

The sources hinted that the government would be going for a multi-vendor tender to acquire these aircraft under the Make in India procedure, as the government is clear that it would not be going for imports of any major weapon systems.

The sources said the government is well aware of the frustrations expressed by the services due to the paucity of aircraft and would soon be taking a considered decision on the matter.

Asked whether the government would go in for more Rafale fighter jets, the sources said that it would take at least 10 years for the French firm to supply its aircraft due to the huge global order book from different countries.

The Indian Air Force acquired 36 Rafales under a direct government-to-government deal in 2016, as the planes had been selected in the Congress-era multirole medium combat aircraft deal.

The matter became controversial as the opposition levelled allegations of corruption in the deal. The Indian Air Force has around 30 squadrons of fighter aircraft and many of its aircraft including the Jaguars, Mirage-2000 and MiG-29, are set to retire in the next five to seven years. The MiG-21s are also set to be phased out in the next few months.

The IAF feels that it requires the advanced 4.5 generation aircraft to meet the challenges posed to it on both the northern and western fronts.