Modi?s France visit gives wings to IAF dream project

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi?s visit to France next week will herald a new chapter for the Indian Air Force, as its dream project of having 360 degree ?eye in sky? is likely to take off with both countries finalising a deal for procuring two Airbus-330 aircraft to be used as platforms for AWACS-India programme. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in its meeting held last Saturday, has given a go ahead to the proposal of acquiring the aircraft for Rs 5,113 crore and the formal signing of the deal is likely during Mr Modi?s three-nation tour, that will also take him to Germany and Canada. The DAC has also approved ?Project Maitry?, under which, India and France will be working on development of Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SR-SAM) for the Indian Navy. The two Defence deals are being seen as a consolation for France as the hectic efforts to seal a deal of acquiring 126 Rafale fighter jets for the IAF were unlikely to get the desired results. The French leadership was particularly keen to finalise the 20 billion dollars defence deal for Medium-Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) during Mr Modi?s Paris visit, as the long-drawn talks for finalising the contract remain inconclusive even after three years of tough negotiations between the two sides. 05/04/15 Day and Night News

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Categories: Foreign Apr 2015, Indian Aviation- In General Apr 2015