king of pop
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Fresh tensions in Indo-Russian
bilateral ties are bound to surface
soon as India is set to cut its Fifth
Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA)
order by one-third. India will now
be inducting only 144 FGFA instead
of the originally scheduled 214.
The reduced purchase size could be
to accommodate potential interest
in the Lockheed Martin F-35A
aircraft, which had earlier been
rejected by both the Indian Air
Force and the Defense Ministry.
Both of these organizations have
denied the F-35 rumors.
Significantly, all of the 144 FGFA
India now intends to purchase will
be single-seater jets. Earlier, the
Indian Air Force planned to
procure 214 units– 166 single-
seaters and 48 twin-seaters.
According to sources, India’s
decision to reduce the number of
jets it will purchase was driven
primarily by two overarching
concerns: production delays and
cost over-runs, both of which have
been major irritants in Indo-
Russian defense ties. The first
prototype of the fighter jet is likely
to be delivered to India in 2014,
followed by additional planes in
2017 and 2019. Earlier, India
expected to induct the jets into
service sometime between 2017
and 2018. Recently Russia said the
FGFA would not be delivered until
2020.
Still, the news of India’s reduced
purchase is likely to irritate Russia
and it will be worth closely
watching how Moscow responds.
Russia has already delayed
President Vladimir Putin’s trip to
India by seven weeks. Putin was
initially scheduled to visit New
Delhi from October 31 to
November 1 st, but will now arrive
in the Indian Capital on December
24.
India's Hindustan Aeronatics
Limited (HAL) is to build the FGFA,
a derivative of the Sukhoi T-50, in
India. India and Russia signed a
50:50 joint venture to build the
aircraft in December 2011.
http://thediplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2012/10/25/india-snubs-russia-on-fifth-generation-fighters/
bilateral ties are bound to surface
soon as India is set to cut its Fifth
Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA)
order by one-third. India will now
be inducting only 144 FGFA instead
of the originally scheduled 214.
The reduced purchase size could be
to accommodate potential interest
in the Lockheed Martin F-35A
aircraft, which had earlier been
rejected by both the Indian Air
Force and the Defense Ministry.
Both of these organizations have
denied the F-35 rumors.
Significantly, all of the 144 FGFA
India now intends to purchase will
be single-seater jets. Earlier, the
Indian Air Force planned to
procure 214 units– 166 single-
seaters and 48 twin-seaters.
According to sources, India’s
decision to reduce the number of
jets it will purchase was driven
primarily by two overarching
concerns: production delays and
cost over-runs, both of which have
been major irritants in Indo-
Russian defense ties. The first
prototype of the fighter jet is likely
to be delivered to India in 2014,
followed by additional planes in
2017 and 2019. Earlier, India
expected to induct the jets into
service sometime between 2017
and 2018. Recently Russia said the
FGFA would not be delivered until
2020.
Still, the news of India’s reduced
purchase is likely to irritate Russia
and it will be worth closely
watching how Moscow responds.
Russia has already delayed
President Vladimir Putin’s trip to
India by seven weeks. Putin was
initially scheduled to visit New
Delhi from October 31 to
November 1 st, but will now arrive
in the Indian Capital on December
24.
India's Hindustan Aeronatics
Limited (HAL) is to build the FGFA,
a derivative of the Sukhoi T-50, in
India. India and Russia signed a
50:50 joint venture to build the
aircraft in December 2011.
http://thediplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2012/10/25/india-snubs-russia-on-fifth-generation-fighters/