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Tejas light combat aircraft - Image From the net
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India's defence forces scrap proposals for advanced
versions of Tejas and Arjun
They have instead opted to acquire foreign
single-engine fighters and futuristic armoured fighting vehicles through the
'strategic partnership' policy of Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' initiative.
By : Sriparna Ghosh
November 13, 2017 11:00 IST
India's armed forces have scrapped the proposal to
manufacture advanced versions of the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft and
Arjun main-battle tank and have instead opted to acquire foreign single-engine
fighters and futuristic armoured fighting vehicles through the 'strategic
partnership' policy of Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' initiative.
Last week, the Indian Army issued the preliminary tender
to global ammunition manufacturing companies for 1,770 highly-advanced tanks
called future ready combat vehicles (FRCVs) in order to add more teeth to its
armed front.
Likewise, even the Indian Air Force will be acquiring
around 114 single-engine fighters.
However, the attempt to flex its muscles in the defence
sphere is indeed going to be a tough task as most of the annual defence budgets
are being used for "committed liabilities" or instalments of deals
made earlier, which has left have very little money for new projects.
The IAF's single-engine fighter project will alone cost
around Rs 1.15 lakh crore.
In fact, on October 31, the Ministry of Defence approved
the procurement of 111 helicopters for the Indian Navy under the strategic
partnership model at a cost of Rs 21,738 crore.
In May, the Defence Acquisition Counci (DAC) had finalised the strategic
partnership model, a much-awaited policy to boost the Indian private sector's
role in producing high-tech defence equipment in India.
The model aims to create a robust defence manufacturing
ecosystem in India by involving both major Indian corporates as well as the
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector. These sectors will then tie
up with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) to seek technology transfers not
only to set up a domestic manufacturing infrastructure but also supply chains.
Original post: ibtimes.co.in
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