Combat aircraft deal shortlist to be out soon
This would follow the concretisation of offset policy by the government which will be released in the next week. The report of the technical evaluation tests of the six aircraft in fray was submitted to the defence ministry in July last year. However, since then the deal has made little progressed even as Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal PV Naik asserted in February that the deal should be finalized by September.
The ministry sources have told FE the deal is again gathering steam with a concrete offset policy to be in place by April end.
“The shortlisted candidates for the MMRCA deal would be announced by beginning of May,” said a sourcefrom the ministry.
Following the announcement the commercial negotiations for the contract will begin.
The detailed policy is expected to concretise the opening of the civil aviation and internal security in more certain terms, so that there will be no room for confusion. The defence offsets policy is likely to bring in $10 billion during the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2007-11).
“The changes are likely to provide invitations to offer offsets proposals to be issued to only those vendors who are validated as technically qualified by the respective service. The shortlisted vendor will be invited for opening of their respective commercial bids,” a source said.
The ministry’s
