Good News For Rafale M?

Admiral Gorshkov May Be Overlooked For French Rafale M Fighter Aircraft

Huma Siddiqui

New Delhi, December 26: India and France seem to be coming closer in defence procurements.
Indian Navy is likely to buy the Rafale M fighter aircraft from France instead of the MiG-29K
offered by Russia with the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier. The Indian Air Force (IAF) too has
expressed interest in having six squadrons of Mirage 2000-5 combat aircraft.

According to highly placed sources, while the IAF has been flying more of Russian machines, it
has been trying to get used to other aircraft too. On the other hand the Indian Navy has Western
and mainly British equipment including carrier-borne Sea Harriers and Sea King helicopters and is
not so keen on the Russian-offered MiG-29K.

Sources have said that the MiG-29K comes with Admiral Gorshkov which the Indian
government is hesitant to buy at the cost the Russians are asking for to refurbish a
de-commissioned aircraft carrier. “Since the Navy requires a few carrier-borne aircraft, it is
looking at the best and it has identified Rafale M, which is in service with the French Navy,”
sources added.

Though no firm decisions have been taken about the Rafale M, sources said that it all depended
on the finalisation of the Admiral Gorshkov deal.

The IAF, on the other hand, is keen to upgrade its Mirage 2000 fleet by adding six squadrons of
Mirage 2000-5 which is in service with the various airforces around the world.

Sources said that during a recent visit of a high-level Indian delegation to Paris, France had
expressed its willingness to make technology transfer inclusive of the sale package af Rafale M.
However, it would be the price being asked for the aircraft which would finally decide whether
the government would go for the deal as Russian aircraft cost almost ten times lesser than planes
manufactured by the US and Europe.

But ultimately the cash-strapped Indian government will consider the price factor since Russian
aircraft cost a tenth of similar Western warplanes.

Steve Touchdown-News