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The ruling party is probably only done this for mere electoral gains, which is unjustified. However, there is actually a dilemma between providing the army with much needed hardware and purchasing the same from a previously known offender. Had it been the case with the armed forces of some developed nations, Bofors may not even have been entertained from the outset regardless of it being the best.
In a similar manner, some Israeli companies that were found involved in wrongdoing, should also not be entertained further—they would only be had India been a Banana republic with no technological base to speak of.
congress is a sisiy party they will not have guts to pass major order ,look at mmrca or 123 agreements ,
Anonymous, on the contrary import contracts from abroad are passed speedily and unobtrusively. It only in this politically sensitive case that the winner of the tender is not being acknowledged.
On another note, it would be very interesting to note the reaction of the MoD and the IAF after being denied full technology transfers for AESA radars. Anyway, the MRCA contract will continue to be executed upto 2032, at a time when the MiG-35, F-18s, Gripens and F-16s would have long become the MiG-21s of the day.
Instead, it is better to induct the Tejas in numbers now till 2017-20 (speed it up by the fuel of increased funding), and spend the funds that were origninally earmarked for the MRCA/PAK-FA purchases, on the MCA and UCAV projects instead.
The following comment was posted in Bharat-Rakshak forum by Cain Marko :-
“Buy the additional 40 Su-30mkis ($ 2 billion)+ scrounge around every M2k-5 you can get including Qatari deal, say 30 birds and upgrade em to -5/9MKI stds ($ 2billion) + buy 50 additional MiG 29SMTs ($ 1.5 billion). So you get 125 additional aircraft for half the bloody cost with no integration problems. Use the remaining $$$s towards getting LCA and variants into action + FGFA + MCA. Even if the additional 125 are only useful for the next 20 odd years, it’ll still be worth it. What with homegrown product 5 gen birds replacing the older a/c. “
I think this view should be the policy of the IAF., because it exhibits good strategic acumen. There is no point in pursuing “birds” as he calls them, for double the cost, which will be relevant for only 20 years from now. The remaining funds as he very rightly says, must be spent on furthering the Tejas and MCA-like projects.
Thanks.