New Delhi: To make the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision strong, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to manufacture 96 fighter jets in India. The Indian Air Force is planning to acquire 114 fighter jets – while 18 jets are to be imported from a foreign vendor chosen for the project.
According to a media report, Recently, the Indian Air Force held meetings with the foreign vendors and asked them about the way they would carry out the Make in India project.
On the Rafale fighter jet, the media report says, the next 36 aircraft would be manufactured within the country and the payments would be made partially in foreign currency and Indian currency.
According to the sources, the last 60 aircraft would be the main responsibility of the Indian partner, and the government would make payments only in Indian currency. The payment in Indian currency would help the vendors to achieve the over 60 percent ‘Make-in-India’ content in the project.
Global aircraft manufacturers including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Saab, MiG, Irkut Corporation, and Dassault Aviation are expected to participate in the tender.
The force has already placed orders for 83 of the LCA Mk 1A aircraft but it still requires a higher number of capable aircraft as a large number of MiG series planes have either been phased out or are on their last legs.
The fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft project is moving ahead at a satisfactory pace but it will take a lot of time to be able to be inducted into an operational role.
(Vinayak)