India to seek bids for 126 fighter jets

Posted on: Apr. 6th, 2006 || Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

India to seek bids for 126 fighter jets

NEW DELHI: The tender inviting bids for the Indian Air Force (IAF)'s plan to purchase 126 multi-role combat jets will be floated later this month, a senior official said here on Wednesday.

Air Vice Marshal S. Mukerji, the assistant chief of air staff for concepts and doctrine, told reporters that bids would be sought from the makers of six jets - the F-16 and F-18 of the US, France's Rafale, Sweden's Gripen, the Eurofighter Typhoon and Russia's MiG-35.

The deal when clinched will be the single largest weapons purchase by India, which has emerged in recent years as one of the world's largest buyers of frontline military hardware as it modernizes the ageing Soviet-era equipment held by its armed forces.

"The RFPs (requests for proposals) will be floated in the third or fourth week of this month. Everything has been cleared," Mukerji said.

The Mirage 2000-5, which was one of the jets earlier shortlisted by the IAF, is no longer in the race for the deal as it was withdrawn by its makers, Dassault.

Mukerji, however, admitted that the Mirage was one of the cheaper jets considered by the IAF and its withdrawal could increase the value of the deal.

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