thestringshredder
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NEW DELHI: India and France have decided to embark on joint production of military hardware and software, instead of the existing client-seller relationship, as part of their long-term strategic partnership.
Though both countries also agreed to work towards an early conclusion of the over $20 billion MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) project to acquire 126 French Rafale fighters for the IAF, it is, however, highly unlikely to be finalized this year. With several defence scandals hitting India in recent times, the UPA government wants to be ultra-cautious in the run-up to the general elections early next year. Moreover, no budgetary allocation has been provided in the 2013-14 budget to pay the first installment for the project that would amount to around Rs 10,000 crore, as reported by TOI earlier.
During the talks between visiting French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Indian counterpart A K Antony here on Friday, France also proposed a joint major ``aero-naval'' exercise in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) that will include nuclear-propelled submarines, aircraft carriers and destroyers as well as fighters, helicopters and reconnaissance aircraft. Asked about the delay in stitching up the MMRCA project, under which the first 18 Rafale fighters are to come in ``fly-away condition'' and the rest 108 jets are to be manufactured under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics, Le Drian said programmes of such magnitude take time to materialize.
"I am not at all concerned over the delays. The point is that you have to abide by the Indian procedures...This is a project of such great magnitude and everything has to be checked and explored so that there is no choke two years down the line that leads to the failure of the project... The project is moving at a normal and positive pace," he said.
"There will be a framework Indo-French intergovernmental agreement for this contract, which will provide all the necessary guarantees of the French state... France guarantees the transfer of technology,'' he added.
It was in January 2012 that Rafale was selected over Eurofighter Typhoon - the two had earlier outclassed the American F/A-18 `Super Hornet' and F-16 `Super Viper', the Russian MiG-35 and Swedish Gripen in the extensive field trials - for the final negotiations since it had emerged as the L-1 (lowest bidder) both in terms of life cycle costs and direct acquisition costs. But the final commercial negotiations since then have progressed at a slow pace, and had even stalled due to controversies.
Le Drian also expressed hope that India and France will work together on many other proposed projects like the Rs 30,000 crore joint programme to develop the Maitri air defence missile systems as well.
"We have gone beyond the client supplier relations. France is prepared to initiate co-development and co-production projects which could in future include exporting equipment to the third country markets," he added.
Link - Nepal could be link between India, China: Nepal's ex-PM - The Times of India
Though both countries also agreed to work towards an early conclusion of the over $20 billion MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) project to acquire 126 French Rafale fighters for the IAF, it is, however, highly unlikely to be finalized this year. With several defence scandals hitting India in recent times, the UPA government wants to be ultra-cautious in the run-up to the general elections early next year. Moreover, no budgetary allocation has been provided in the 2013-14 budget to pay the first installment for the project that would amount to around Rs 10,000 crore, as reported by TOI earlier.
During the talks between visiting French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Indian counterpart A K Antony here on Friday, France also proposed a joint major ``aero-naval'' exercise in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) that will include nuclear-propelled submarines, aircraft carriers and destroyers as well as fighters, helicopters and reconnaissance aircraft. Asked about the delay in stitching up the MMRCA project, under which the first 18 Rafale fighters are to come in ``fly-away condition'' and the rest 108 jets are to be manufactured under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics, Le Drian said programmes of such magnitude take time to materialize.
"I am not at all concerned over the delays. The point is that you have to abide by the Indian procedures...This is a project of such great magnitude and everything has to be checked and explored so that there is no choke two years down the line that leads to the failure of the project... The project is moving at a normal and positive pace," he said.
"There will be a framework Indo-French intergovernmental agreement for this contract, which will provide all the necessary guarantees of the French state... France guarantees the transfer of technology,'' he added.
It was in January 2012 that Rafale was selected over Eurofighter Typhoon - the two had earlier outclassed the American F/A-18 `Super Hornet' and F-16 `Super Viper', the Russian MiG-35 and Swedish Gripen in the extensive field trials - for the final negotiations since it had emerged as the L-1 (lowest bidder) both in terms of life cycle costs and direct acquisition costs. But the final commercial negotiations since then have progressed at a slow pace, and had even stalled due to controversies.
Le Drian also expressed hope that India and France will work together on many other proposed projects like the Rs 30,000 crore joint programme to develop the Maitri air defence missile systems as well.
"We have gone beyond the client supplier relations. France is prepared to initiate co-development and co-production projects which could in future include exporting equipment to the third country markets," he added.
Link - Nepal could be link between India, China: Nepal's ex-PM - The Times of India
