Alert 5

Sources say the Indian government will announce the winner of the MMRCA fighter competition in the next ten days.

India’s big fighter competition could be decided this fortnight, Ajai Shukla reports from New Delhi.

According to Aviation Week, Russian sources say the cost of buying 126 fighters for the Indian Air Force will be so high that New Delhi will be forced to cancel the project.

India’s Defense Acquisition Council has approved offsets evaluation reports of the Eurofighter and Rafale. This paves the way for commercial bids to be evaluated later this month.

Ajai Shukla reports that the plan to supply 126 fighters to the Indian Air Force by Dassault and Eurofighter Consortium could be doomed if their bids are more expensive than the Ministry of Defence’s estimation even after it has been adjusted for inflation.

The winner to supply 126 fighter aircraft to the Indian Air Force will be announced in five to six weeks, IAF’s chief said.

Lockheed Martin is hoping to reenter India’s competition to supply 126 fighter jets by swapping the F-16 with the F-35.

Raytheon said it was eager to supply weapons systems for either two of the fighters shortlisted by India for its MMRCA competition.

While on a short visit to New Delhi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel tried to convince Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the Eurofigher is the “best product” for his country’s MMRCA competition.

It has been revealed that a procedural error within India’s Ministry of Defense could allow failed bidders of the MMRCA competition to reenter the contest.
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