New Delhi, August 29
Negotiations with the British Aerospace struck over the price of the Hawk Advance Jet Trainer (AJT), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is likely to send a team of experts to Italy next month to have a look at the trainer being produced by Armacchi.
Sources in the Defence Ministry said with negotiations with the British Aerospace unlikely to move further the officials here have already starting looking at other options to fulfil the long standing demand of the IAF at an early date.
The MoD officials have already had a look at the MiG-AT trainer and are now likely to have a closer look at the Armacchi trainer. A team of experts is likely to visit Italy in the coming weeks to analyse the aircraft and also if possible have initial discussions with the Armacchi officials on the offer being made by them.
Both MiG-MAPO and the Armacchi had approached the Indian Government to have a look at the trainers being produced by them after the officials negotiating with the British Aerospace were unable to reach anywhere on the issue of price.
The interest in the trainers has become more as the two companies are not only offering the aircraft at a price which is likely to suit the Indian pocket but also because they are ready to incorporate features as per the demands of the IAF.
The sources, however, indicated that the team was going to have a look at Armacchi also because there were reports of some internal trouble at MiG-MAPO and wanted to have another option in hand also.
The Defence Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, had also yesterday indicated that India was likely to look at other AJTs being put on offer. In his reply in the Rajya Sabha the minister although did not say that the deal with the British Aerospace was being called off but did admit that India was not ready to be dictated by a single vendor.
The minister said the Price Negotiation Committee was yet to come out with its recommendations and it would take sometime as “we have got into a single vendor syndrome” on the project. While criticising the previous government for delaying the setting up of the Price Negotiation Committee despite the project having been cleared in late eighties, Mr Jaswant Singh very clearly said, “it was unwise to be dictated upon by one vendor”.
The sources said it was now clear that India was unlikely to go ahead with the deal with the British Aerospace as the company was offering the trainer at a much higher cost. Apparently the Indian officials are not happy with the price being quoted by the British company for the various components and sub-components to be fitted in the Hawk as per Indian requirements.
Incidentally, the Russians, with whom India has a long standing defence relationship, are producing the MiG-AT in collaboration with France, who is also emerging as India’s strategic partner, particularly in the nuclear field. The French are supplying the Larzac engines for the trainer which give the plane high manoeuvrability.
The Union government had cleared the proposal for purchasing 66 AJTs and after evaluating various trainer aircraft available then. At that time the British Hawk had been shortlisted as the one meeting IAF’s requirements. As per the initial agreement the delivery of the planes was to start between 24 to 36 months after signing of the contract.
However, several months have elapsed since the final selection with problems arising on the price of the British Hawk. The MoD is now expected to seal a contract for the AJTs after seeing the presentations from the Russian and Italian manufacturers.
