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India Completes Talks on Huge Fighter Deal: Official
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, NEW DELHI
India has completed negotiations over an order for 126 fighter jets that could cost up to nine billion dollars, Defense Minister A.K. Antony said June 18.
But the minister did not say which of the Russian, U.S. and European rivals were best placed to win what arms industry sources have described as the biggest fighter plane contract in 15 years.
According to industry sources, the leading contenders are the Russian-built MiG-35 and MiG-29, Lockheed Martins F-16 and Boeings F-18.
Also in the race to replace Indias aged fleet of MiG-21s are Eurofighters Typhoon, Saabs Gripen and Dassaults Rafale.
All negotiations are over and now it is a question of formalities, Antony told reporters on the sidelines of a commanders meeting in the Indian capital.
The defense acquisition committee will be meeting within a fortnight and decide on the Request for Proposals (RFP), the minister added, referring to the body that has the final say on who should get the contract.
Senior defense ministry officials also confirmed the comments, saying that no further discussions are necessary in the deal.
We are now hopeful the contract will be offered within a months time or so, one of the officials told AFP.
The deal will be the first time India, now the biggest arms purchaser among emerging nations, has bought combat aircraft after evaluating rival bids through a global tender.
The country was once a captive defense-equipment market for the former Soviet Union and later Russia which provided 70 percent of Indias military hardware but is now seen as trying to broaden its military suppliers.
The two U.S. contenders, Lockheed Martin and Boeing, are trying to latch on to warming relations between New Delhi and Washington, who were once on opposite sides of the Cold War divide.
The two countries signed a landmark deal in 2005 that will allow India access to U.S. civil nuclear technology, barred since the country exploded its first nuclear bomb in 1974.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=2842000&C=asiapac
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, NEW DELHI
India has completed negotiations over an order for 126 fighter jets that could cost up to nine billion dollars, Defense Minister A.K. Antony said June 18.
But the minister did not say which of the Russian, U.S. and European rivals were best placed to win what arms industry sources have described as the biggest fighter plane contract in 15 years.
According to industry sources, the leading contenders are the Russian-built MiG-35 and MiG-29, Lockheed Martins F-16 and Boeings F-18.
Also in the race to replace Indias aged fleet of MiG-21s are Eurofighters Typhoon, Saabs Gripen and Dassaults Rafale.
All negotiations are over and now it is a question of formalities, Antony told reporters on the sidelines of a commanders meeting in the Indian capital.
The defense acquisition committee will be meeting within a fortnight and decide on the Request for Proposals (RFP), the minister added, referring to the body that has the final say on who should get the contract.
Senior defense ministry officials also confirmed the comments, saying that no further discussions are necessary in the deal.
We are now hopeful the contract will be offered within a months time or so, one of the officials told AFP.
The deal will be the first time India, now the biggest arms purchaser among emerging nations, has bought combat aircraft after evaluating rival bids through a global tender.
The country was once a captive defense-equipment market for the former Soviet Union and later Russia which provided 70 percent of Indias military hardware but is now seen as trying to broaden its military suppliers.
The two U.S. contenders, Lockheed Martin and Boeing, are trying to latch on to warming relations between New Delhi and Washington, who were once on opposite sides of the Cold War divide.
The two countries signed a landmark deal in 2005 that will allow India access to U.S. civil nuclear technology, barred since the country exploded its first nuclear bomb in 1974.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=2842000&C=asiapac
