Govt to by 200 jets if 'Made in India
posted on Oct 29, 2016 @ 6:00PM
Fighter planes from foreign manufacturers could be bought by the Indian government as long as the jets are made in India and with a local partner, Indian Air Force (IAF) officials say. After a deal to buy high-end Rafale planes from France's Dassault was scaled back to just 36 jets last month, the Indian Air Force is desperately trying to speed up other acquisitions. According to experts the deal for 200 single-engine planes produced in India - which the Air Force says could rise to 300 as it fully phases out ageing Soviet-era aircraft - could be worth anything from $13-$15 billion. "The immediate shortfall is 200. That would be the minimum we would be looking at," said an air officer briefed on the Make-in-India plans under which a foreign manufacturer will partner local firms to build the aircraft with technology transfer.