Rafale deal in its final stages: IAF chief Raha

[samlove]

In the city to deliver a lecture, Arup Raha told Mirror that the government is currently working on ‘certain aspects’

Although the purchase of 36 Dassault Rafale combat jets had hit a roadblock, Air Chief Marshal Arup Rahal said the deal is in its “final stages”. Raha was in the city on Saturday to deliver the General B C Joshi Memorial Lecture at the Savitribai Phule Pune University. The deal with the French aircraft manufacturer was stuck in a deadlock after disagreements rose over its price and range of on-board weaponry.

However, speaking to Mirror on the sidelines of the event, Raha said, “The government is working on certain aspects, which cannot be revealed at this juncture.”

The media is dotted with several reports, which claim that French defence minister Jean-Yuves Le Drian will be visiting India next week to sign a government- to-government framework, which will pave the way to ink a final contract. The present deal was part of a larger contract through which the Indian government had sought to buy 126 Rafale (meaning gust in French) jets at an outlaw of $20 billion. However, the plan was scrapped in July following negotiations with Dassault Aviation.

In April, PM Narendra Modi had announced the purchase of jets during a state visit to France. At present, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is undergoing a multibillion dollar modernisation programme to replace its ageing equipment, most of which was purchased from the erstwhile Soviet Union.

Speaking on ‘Transformation of the Indian Air Force: Challengers and Opportunities’, Raha vehemently criticised Pakistan and described the country as a “fountainhead of terrorism…poisonous snake in the backyard”. Raha also spoke on a variety of issues like the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the IAF and its modernisation and retaining talented officers. Speaking on the threat posed by the growth of ISIS, he said, “The Indian armed forces should prepare to tackle such threats in the future.”

“India does not want to initiate conflict but we need to have capabilities to deter others,” he added. Raha also said that IAF is trying to take assistance from the National Highways Authority of India to determine stretches, which can be used in contingency. In May, a Mirage 2000, which is also a Dassault aircraft, was successfully test landed on the Yamuna Expressway near Mathura.

 

[Peaceful Civilian]

Congrats for this deal. Finally, it is coming in few years. No more delay

 

[[Bregs]]

Hopefully next thread about Rafale should be when deal is finally signed

 

[nForce]

Congrats for this deal. Finally, it is coming in few years. No more delay

More hardware to kill people....We live in a funny World..

 

[Peaceful Civilian]

More hardware to kill people....We live in a funny World..

Sad reality. We should start peaceful life in Mars. This earth is already polluted. And increasing global warming will force us to move in other planet after few decades.

 

[GURU DUTT]

dont count your chickens till they hatch

 

[Abingdonboy]

Is India acquiring any other aircraft apart from rafales?

Nope. 126-189 Rafales are on the way- nothing else is being considered anymore.

 

[GURU DUTT]

Nope. 126-189 Rafales are on the way- nothing else is being considered anymore.

i highly dought those numbers it wont be more than current numbers of M2K in IAF at the most one more squad and thats it

 

[samlove]

Probably India should raise few squadrons of Su35s/Mig 35.

as russia is developing a medium multirole jet so might be india interested in tht also, also india will opt for tht aircraft(make in india -90) who will also provide engine technology for our amca ,so we have see wht further develops.

 

[nForce]

Sad reality. We should start peaceful life in Mars. This earth is already polluted. And increasing global warming will force us to move in other planet after few decades.

Pakistanis should stop trying to come inside India and concentrate on going to Mars then.

 

[Abingdonboy]

But the deal was only 36 rafales.

This is a specific deal for 36 flyaway Rafales from France, the MoD/GoI is in talks for a follow-on deal for making Rafales in India (at least 90) as per the original MMRCA requirement (i.e. 126-189). I have confirmed this.


As per Modi's comments in Paris, these 36 Rafales are to meet the immediate needs of the IAF- they could not afford anymore delay.

i highly dought those numbers it wont be more than current numbers of M2K in IAF at the most one more squad and thats it

Of course, the Rafale/MMRCA was never about replacing the M2Ks- that type has nothing to do with the Rafale purchase. The original MMRCA requirement was for 126-189, why would this suddenly be downgraded to a measly 36? Have the IAF/MoD stated more LCAs or MKI are to be produced to make up for the shortfall? Nope. I have been saying again and again- there is ZERO way the IAF (the fourth largest AF in the world with dozens of geographically dispersed airbases) would go for only 2 SQNs worth of a BRAND NEW type of fighter? Are you high bro? This figure doesn't even include war spares!


As soon as India signs for 36 Rafales you can be assured 100+ are on the way, from what I know there is no way the IAF are considering operating anything below 80-90 Rafales, it would simply be too costly and exhaustive to do so.

Probably India should raise few squadrons of Su35s/Mig 35.

No, no and no again

 

[Spectre]

This is a specific deal for 36 flyaway Rafales from France, the MoD/GoI is in talks for a follow-on deal for making Rafales in India (at least 90) as per the original MMRCA requirement (i.e. 126-189). I have confirmed this.


As per Modi's comments in Paris, these 36 Rafales are to meet the immediate needs of the IAF- they could not afford anymore delay.



Of course, the Rafale/MMRCA was never about replacing the M2Ks- that type has nothing to do with the Rafale purchase. The original MMRCA requirement was for 126-189, why would this suddenly be downgraded to a measly 36? Have the IAF/MoD stated more LCAs or MKI are to be produced to make up for the shortfall? Nope. I have been saying again and again- there is ZERO way the IAF (the fourth largest AF in the world with dozens of geographically dispersed airbases) would go for only 2 SQNs worth of a BRAND NEW type of fighter? Are you high bro? This figure doesn't even include war spares!


As soon as India signs for 36 Rafales you can be assured 100+ are on the way, from what I know there is no way the IAF are considering operating anything below 80-90 Rafales, it would simply be too costly and exhaustive to do so.


No, no and no again

What about statements from our DM, asserting the opposite by his BMW/Mercedes analogy?

 

[Abingdonboy]

What about statements from our DM, asserting the opposite by his BMW/Mercedes analogy?

The guy is a big mouth, how many nonsensical statements has he made? He stated (back in March I think) that the Super Su-30MKI could be a suitable replacement to the Rafales, look no further to see he is talkking with little to no technical knowledge and was simply trying to apply pressure on the French. These statements have since been buried.

 

[Ind4Ever]

Nope. 126-189 Rafales are on the way- nothing else is being considered anymore.

U still sticking with this numbers ? I was offline for many months i guess . NO way ... may be another 18 follow on and its done with iaf . For navy ? we have to wait and see

 

[Abingdonboy]

U still sticking with this numbers ? I was offline for many months i guess . NO way ... may be another 18 follow on and its done with iaf . For navy ? we have to wait and see

100% certain, the IAF will be operating more than 100 Rafales, of this I have no doubt. Anything below 80-90 is not viable and the MoD will know this.