New Delhi, December 23
There can still be time before tenders for the purchase of 126 multi-role fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) are cleared as some last-minute touches are being to those to include another clause.

Only after the changes are made will the Ministry of Defence (MoD) be bringing forward the proposal for a clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

Defence minister A.K. Antony today said the Cabinet was yet to clear the tenders for the purchase of the combat aircraft as some final touches were being given to the requests for proposals.

When asked specifically if the international tenders, which according to experts could run up to between $ 10 and 15 billion, had been cleared by the CCS, the defence minister replied in the negative.

According to sources, the defence ministry wanted to introduce the concept of life cycle costs with tenders.

Six leading fighter manufacturers, Lockheed-Martin and Boeing from the US, Russian Mig-35, Swedish Grippen, French Rafale and Eurofighter, would compete for the deal.

Speaking to the media after decorating Coast Guard officers with gallantry medals, the minister also said armed forces had been asked to improve complaint redressal system.

Elaborating, he said the redressal system would receive a boost when Parliament would enact the new Armed Forces Tribunal Bill.

He said the bill, which had been vetted by a joint select committee, would be introduced in the budget session of Parliament.

There were over 8,000 cases of armed forces personnel pending in various courts in the country.

The minister also said the MoD would pitch for a substantial hike in salaries and perks for armed forces as well as defence scientists in its presentation before the Sixth Pay Commission.

The defence minister also reviewed a parade and gave away gallantry and meritorious medals to 11 Coast Guard personnel.

The commander of Western Region Coast Guard, inspector-general Achutan Rajashekhar, was awarded the President’s Tatrakshak Medal for leading a mission which saved 361 lives during last year’s devastating fire at Bombay High.

Under his command, Coast Guard personnel had also recovered 200 kg of cocaine from a container.

Tatrakshak medals for gallantry were also awarded to commandant Satish Kumar, commandant Parveen Gaur, deputy commandant Sujeet Dwivedi and pradhan navik Mandip Singh.

Tatrakshak medals for meritorious services were given to DIG S.K. Goyal, commandants Vivek Vajpayee and K. Janadharan, deputy commandants C.S. Joshi, pradhan adhikari R. Radhakrishan and pradhan yantik Manoj Kumar Singh.