The defence ministry official said, procurement of 126 Medium Range Multi-role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) will be the biggest ever purchase made by India ever since its independence which would cost the government over $9bn. Sources in the Indian defence ministry said that the ruling United Progressive Alliance government led by the Congress Party had been marred with controversies in the past in various defence scandals and therefore the present government is too shy and slow to decide on big ticket defence purchases.
Sources further added that even if the ruling government floats the tender for the MMRCA early next year it will take at least three years to carry out technical evaluation and flight trials of the various combat aircraft which will participate in the bids. Moreover the government will further take additional three to five years to take a decision on short listing the company which will win the MMRCA contract.
http://www.battle-technology.com/this_issue10.html
Sources further added that there is a debate within the defence ministry and the Indian Air Force whether the government should place the contract to different original equipment manufacturers for license production to different combat aircraft. Once these issues are sorted out only then the defence ministry will float the global tender.