In a major twist to the Indian MMRCA deal, Defense Minister Manohar Parikkar said that, additional Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters would be adeq...
The Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft deal for 126 fighters has been under negogiations since early 2012, when the final winner Dassault Rafale was announced, beating Eurofighter Typhoon.
Eurofighter was expecting to clinch the deal as the second lowest bidder, if the Rafale deal collapses.
According to the terms of the MMRCA tender, the first 18 fighters would be supplied in fly away condition, with the remaining 108 manufactured in India under license by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
Dassault’s unwillingness to assume responsibility for the 108 Rafales produced by HAL, stipulated in tender along with reluctance to transfer critical AESA radar and engine technology, siting Indian inability to absorb complex technologies is sited as the main stumbling block for the deal.
More over the cost of the program had skyrocketed from USD 10 billion in 2011 to over USD 20 billion currently, costing over USD 116 million per aircraft.
The 4.5 generation Su-30MKI constitute the frontline strike fleet of IAF and costs around half the price of Rafale.
Locally built by HAL in India, over 140 Su-30MKI's have been delivered of the 272 under contract by about 2018.
Over 72 percent of the Su-30 MKI's components are Indian made.
