PARIKRAMA
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2014
- Messages
- 4,871
- Reaction score
- 185
- Country
- Location
DM: Decision on Rafale on March 2015, awaiting CNC report
New Delhi: India will decide on the fate of a multi-billion-dollar deal to buy Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation of France by early March, after the contract negotiation committee (CNC) submits its report, defence minister Manohar Parrikar said on Wednesday. Price negotiations have dragged on since 2012, when Rafale won a tender to supply 126 fighter planes for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
“I would not be able to comment on it till CNC gives me a detailed report,” Parrikar said in reply to a question. “I have told them to submit it by March... last week of February or first week of March.”
The committee is reviewing the long-term costs, called the life cycle costs, which will be incurred over the life of the plane. Parrikar said he has sought an increase in IAF fleet’s operational performance to make up for the gap.
He declined to specify the gap in the fighter jet fleet requirements, calling it a “national security” matter. When asked if the delay is upsetting foreign vendors, he replied with an anecdote, “If you go to a supermarket with your wife, you want to buy everything. Then you see your budget and monthly EMI and you only buy to the extent that is allowed in your budget. I would like to buy many jets, but I can’t spend that kind of money. There are ships, submarines for which commitments have already been made and which will come up for allocation in next year’s budget and we have to keep them,” he said. On the upcoming defence budget, he only said he only hoped that the needs of defence forces are attended to.
Decision on French fighter jet Rafale in March: Manohar Parrikar - Livemint
Defence Ministry awaiting CNC report to finalise delayed Rafale deal: Parrikar
Business Standard
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said the Contract Negotiation Committee (CNC) is expected to give its final report on acquisition of French fighter plane Rafale either by end of February of early March. The decision is not being dragged by the NDA government, he assured.
"I have asked for the report and not received yet. Until the detailed report is submitted, I will not be able to comment on the multi-billion dollar aircraft acquisition deal," Parrikar told reporters at the Aero India 2015, here today.
When asked about the three-year delay when the country needs modernisation of Indian Air Force and Rafale formed important part of it, he pointed out the NDA government had come to power only ten months ago. "I have asked the CNC to speed up the process of completion of the report. The CNC report is inevitable for the government to make final decision on the deal," he said.
"We are determined to strengthen our defence forces. But, we will also focus on maximising the use of the current availability of war planes. This is also important," he added.
He further added that there was no delay in the finalisation of the deal.
The defence minister also added the government is also in the process of tweaking the defence procurement policy to enable the small and medium sector enterprise get a better deal in the offset clauses. "We are aware of the problems faced by MSME sector. We also know that they can contribute handsomely to defence production and Make in India a bigger success," Parrikar said.
Defence Ministry awaiting CNC report to finalise delayed Rafale deal: Parrikar | Business Standard News
New Delhi: India will decide on the fate of a multi-billion-dollar deal to buy Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation of France by early March, after the contract negotiation committee (CNC) submits its report, defence minister Manohar Parrikar said on Wednesday. Price negotiations have dragged on since 2012, when Rafale won a tender to supply 126 fighter planes for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
“I would not be able to comment on it till CNC gives me a detailed report,” Parrikar said in reply to a question. “I have told them to submit it by March... last week of February or first week of March.”
The committee is reviewing the long-term costs, called the life cycle costs, which will be incurred over the life of the plane. Parrikar said he has sought an increase in IAF fleet’s operational performance to make up for the gap.
He declined to specify the gap in the fighter jet fleet requirements, calling it a “national security” matter. When asked if the delay is upsetting foreign vendors, he replied with an anecdote, “If you go to a supermarket with your wife, you want to buy everything. Then you see your budget and monthly EMI and you only buy to the extent that is allowed in your budget. I would like to buy many jets, but I can’t spend that kind of money. There are ships, submarines for which commitments have already been made and which will come up for allocation in next year’s budget and we have to keep them,” he said. On the upcoming defence budget, he only said he only hoped that the needs of defence forces are attended to.
Decision on French fighter jet Rafale in March: Manohar Parrikar - Livemint
Defence Ministry awaiting CNC report to finalise delayed Rafale deal: Parrikar
Business Standard
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said the Contract Negotiation Committee (CNC) is expected to give its final report on acquisition of French fighter plane Rafale either by end of February of early March. The decision is not being dragged by the NDA government, he assured.
"I have asked for the report and not received yet. Until the detailed report is submitted, I will not be able to comment on the multi-billion dollar aircraft acquisition deal," Parrikar told reporters at the Aero India 2015, here today.
When asked about the three-year delay when the country needs modernisation of Indian Air Force and Rafale formed important part of it, he pointed out the NDA government had come to power only ten months ago. "I have asked the CNC to speed up the process of completion of the report. The CNC report is inevitable for the government to make final decision on the deal," he said.
"We are determined to strengthen our defence forces. But, we will also focus on maximising the use of the current availability of war planes. This is also important," he added.
He further added that there was no delay in the finalisation of the deal.
The defence minister also added the government is also in the process of tweaking the defence procurement policy to enable the small and medium sector enterprise get a better deal in the offset clauses. "We are aware of the problems faced by MSME sector. We also know that they can contribute handsomely to defence production and Make in India a bigger success," Parrikar said.
Defence Ministry awaiting CNC report to finalise delayed Rafale deal: Parrikar | Business Standard News
.............. it could not have been any clearer.
