With the spurt in the technology governed warfare, the possession of latest technology is the need of the hour. The Indian government is working hard to bring the aircraft count in IAF to the minimum required level. But the problem is not just about the adding more aircraft in the Indian Air Force. The need to replace the aging aircraft is also an issue to be handled. The Indian Air Force is going through the tough times due to the shortage of aircraft and the reduction in the number of aircraft in Rafale deal from 126 to 36, after the deal was revised. Following this, the Indian government has taken a bold step to boost the IAF by inducting bulk count of aircraft.
What is the Proposal?
The Indian government has put its proposal to buy 200 aircraft with the condition that the aircraft will be manufactured in India with a local manufacturing firm. The opinion of manufacturing of aircraft in India is to raise the indigenous manufacturing and reducing the import dependency over foreign defense giants. The government officials have said that they have written to many aircraft manufacturers to manufacture single engine aircraft in India with Transfer of Technology. The move will be a turning point in the modernization of Indian Air Force.
The deal that would range about 300 aircraft would cost about Rs. 87,000 cr making it to be the biggest defense deal in the Indian history. The deal will be accelerated as fast as the soviet aged places will be phased out.
What is the need of Bulk Buying?
The Indian Air Force it planning to replace planes of soviet era aircraft from its force. IAF is planning to replace all the old age aircraft from the indigenously made or foreign procured aircraft. The current proposal also aims at bringing new technology. The Rafale deal that was initially proposed to buy 126 aircraft got limited to 36 planes. Talking about Tejas, a small fraction of Tejas has been delivered till now, due to manufacturing delays. India is currently going through a shortage of squadrons and as per the official sources, India is not in the condition of having a two front war with close neighbors Pakistan and China.
A Step Taken in the Past
The Rafale deal with France and the introduction of Tejas aircraft were the steps that were moved to increase the strength of squadron of the IAF and phasing out of the aging aircraft in the Indian Air Force. FGFA and AMCA projects have also been raised by the Indian government to bring new and enhanced technology into the IAF.
Conclusion – Previous efforts of India to raise the manufacturing in India attracted Lockheed martin to put a manufacturing unit of F-16 in India for making aircraft for India and for also for exporting them. SAAB of Sweden has also shown its interest in putting up a manufacturing unit and developing aviation industry in India. Some other top private aircraft manufacturers are expected to approach India for establishing manufacturing unit in India. The government is putting tough efforts to raise the aircraft level and deal will be a beneficial in all ways.
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