shehbazi2001
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It is a known fact that Pakistan Diplomats are weaker professionally than other diplomats. Diplomacy and defence deals are not a tit for tat game. Pakistani Diplomats have continuously failed to get Pakistan's point across to the International community and this french deal, if it was put on hold because of Indian pressure, serves as another reminder that Pakistan must change the way it approaches its diplomatic missions. If you really want to talk about India in terms of Diplomacy you dont have to look very far to see how successful Indian diplomats have been to get India's points across to the international community. The Nuclear Deal, NSG approval, Kargil, various arms deals and India's position at the UN are a clear statement to the success of Indian diplomacy. This success comes from a intense training program at the lower levels and a very high standard for Diplomats. International relations are not a d1ck waving party but a careful manipulation of words and decisions so that the end result is what you need. It is due time that Pakistan revamps its Diplomatic missions.
If Indian pressure was behind the JF-17 package issue, then Pakistan too can demand from France to refuse upgrade deal for Mirage-2000, in case India does not select Rafale and JF-17 deal becomes acceptable to French.
It seems that France is not that much interested in upgrade programs, rather France needs a buyer for Rafales. UAE is ready to buy Rafales if France can find a buyer for its Mirage-2000s. If India finalises the deal for Mirage-2000 upgrades, then its possible that France shall offer it UAE Mirage-2000-9s. France can offer India a package of 60 UAE Mirage-2000s and 60 Rafales. This shall open up a second Rafale deal for UAE too.
For India, this deal is not bad at all. Upgraded Mirages and Rafales shall share the same avionics and weapons mostly. Additionally, for an aircraft to become mainstay of an airforce, it should be at least 80-100 in numbers and 100 Mirage-2000s with 60 Rafales is a formidable force. The fact that there are no export customers, the delivery of Rafales can be faster.
The possibility looks realistic because USA would certainly have its reservations for AESA radar in Indian inventory due to possible Russian acces. AESA is carried by Super Hornet. Its hard that India would accept US conditions for checking etc over Super Hornets, unless some good progress is made on civil nuclear energy package.
If Indians realise that France can provide them AESA with no-strings attached, it may encourage sealing the deal with them. Help on the design of cryogenic rocket engines may prove to be another deciding factor, especially when the home-designed has problems.
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