New Delhi: The Indian government and French aerospace major Dassault have sealed a work share agreement in what is being described as a big step forward, almost two years after negotiations began in the deal for 126 Rafale fighter jets to be bought by India.
The government's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited or HAL will do 70 per cent of the work on the 108 planes that will be manufactured in India. Dassault would do the rest of the work, sources said.
The first 18 of the fighters will be fully manufactured in France and will be brought to India in "fly-away" condition.
India has apparently rejected Dassault's reservations about having HAL as the major player.
The final contract, though, is still far from being signed. For one, India's Ministry of Defence has no money in the current financial year that ends this month, for initial payment.
03/03/14 Nitin Gokhale/NDTV
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The government's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited or HAL will do 70 per cent of the work on the 108 planes that will be manufactured in India. Dassault would do the rest of the work, sources said.
The first 18 of the fighters will be fully manufactured in France and will be brought to India in "fly-away" condition.
India has apparently rejected Dassault's reservations about having HAL as the major player.
The final contract, though, is still far from being signed. For one, India's Ministry of Defence has no money in the current financial year that ends this month, for initial payment.
03/03/14 Nitin Gokhale/NDTV
