Centre To Issue An Open Tender For IAF’s Mega 114 Fighter Jets Deal: Report

The government agrees with the requirement projected by the Indian Air Force to buy 114 multirole fighter aircraft and would consider adopting a non-controversial model for acquiring 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, facing shortages of modern 4.5-generation aircraft. Sources were also quoted in the media as saying that in 2016, the government procured 36 Rafale aircraft under emergency procurement to meet the force’s urgent requirements. 

However, the matter became controversial, reaching the Supreme Court, where national security matters had to be discussed in public. The sources hinted that the government would be going for a multivendor tender to acquire these aircraft under the Make in India procedure, as the government clearly would not be going for imports of any major weapon systems. 

The sources were also quoted in the media. They said the government is well aware of the services’ frustrations due to the paucity of aircraft and will soon make a decision on the matter. 

When asked whether the government would purchase more Rafale fighter jets, the sources said the French firm would take at least 10 years 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 MiG29, are set to retire in the next five to seven years. The MiG-21s will also be phased out in the next few months. The IAF feels that it requires advanced 4.5-generation aircraft to meet the challenges posed by it on both the northern and western fronts.

(With ANI inputs)