Had Rafale jets been used in the Kargil war with Pakistan in 1999, Indian casualties would have been lower – Modi government pleaded to the Indian Supreme Court in November 2018 while justifying the acquisition of Rafale aircrafts from France.
Indian apex court eventually delivered a shaky verdict in the government’s favor – dismissing the call for an independent court monitored investigation over purchase of 36 Rafale jets for €7.8 billion from the French company Dassault Aviation.
2001 TO 2019 – FOR 18 YEARS AND ON, INDIA IS YET TO BUY A SINGLE FIGHTER JET
In 2001, India identified the need to buy advanced fighter jets to beef up the anemic capability of the Indian air Force (IAF) and to rejuvenate the aerospace industry by achieving self-reliance in producing hi-tech military aircrafts.
India took six years to define the absolute demand and issued Request for Proposal (RFP) for the acquisition of 126 aircrafts in 2007. Dassault Aviation’s Rafale fighters were finally shortlisted in 2012 at the cost of $10.2 billion.
According to the agreement, India had to purchase 18 off-the-shelf jets from Dassault and the remaining 118 aircrafts were to be constructed in India by Indian state-owned enterprise Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL).
But the deal was wedged in price negotiations and other time specifics. Over the time, Modi government rose into the power in 2014.
During his very first trip to France in April 2015, Modi stunned Indian nation while announcing to renegotiate the Rafale deal and purchasing only 36 flyaway Rafale aircrafts – instead of 126 – from Dassault in a government-to-government deal for €7.8 billion.
Signed in September 2016, the new agreement ruled that all the 36 Rafale jets will be imported from France – stroking a blow to Indian technology transfer and ‘Make in India’ drives. Now roughly after 18 years, India is finally expecting to receive the fighters by 2022.
Indian opposition slammed the Modi Government – beckoning the new pact an ‘insurmountable loss’ to the taxpayers’ money as well as accusing BJP regime for unfairly picking Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence Limited (RDL).
Rahul Gandhi said in his tweet that the Modi has destroyed Indian strategic asset – HAL – by snatching Rafale from it and gifting it to Anil Ambani. He also accused him of stealing billions of IAF and giving to Anil Ambani.
EXISTENTIAL THREAT FOR HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICAL LIMITED (HAL)
As Rafale deal is appearing to close down – dark clouds are wandering on HAL's future, which is now facing some serious existential threat from the jets treaty.
HAL has been spearheading Indian indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Program since 1980 to replace ageing Mig-21s. Its locally produced aircraft –Teja – made first flight in January 2001 but HAL’s weaponized Teja is yet to replace Mig-21s.
Earlier this month, HAL eventually got the nod from Indian Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) to produce Teja’s armed version (Mark-1) – but its Teja LCAs will receive final operational clearance (FOC) only after extensive tests and trials of its combat readiness.
Despite dissatisfaction over Teja’s performance, Indian Air Force had ordered for 40 Teja Mark-1s and HAL has produced the first batch of 20 fighter jets. But until HAL gets complete clearance, it cannot produce the additional 20 LCAs.
In December 2017, IAF had also issued a single vendor tender for purchase of 83 Tejas Mark-1 (or Mark-1A) from HAL but its offer has repeatedly been found non-compliant. India had earmarked funds for this purchase in November 2016.
INDIAN TEJAS VS PAKISTANI JF-17 THUNDERS
HAL is also working on an improved version of Tejas, Mark-2. IAF could potentially buy up to 200 fighter jets of Mark-2 variant. But the major problem with Mark-2 is that it is still on the drawing board and could not fly at least for another five years.
India rates Teja Mark-2 high against its rival Pakistan’s JF-17 Thunder. Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra rolled out first JF-17 prototype in May 2003 and it made its first flight in August 2003. JF-17 is in active service since 2007.
So far, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has inducted more than100 fighter jets each of JF-17 series (Block-I and Block-II) and will add 28 Block-III, the latest variant, by 2022. First 2 Block-III will be constructed in China and the remaining 26 in Pakistan.
Although, both JF-17 and Teja fighter jets are very similar nature but JF-17 takes advantage because it is battle-tested and has effectively performed in Pakistan’s war on terror while Tejas have taken 35 years to reach at current level and they aren’t still ready to combat.
The fact remains, had Tejas been even close to good, Indian Air Force would have not been looking for the Rafale and other Jets.
INDIAN DEFENSE PROGRAM IS SPUTTERING
While Indian defense preparedness goes in the backburner over Rafale controversy and HAL’s fiascos – its regional rivals, China and Pakistan, are growing rapidly. Its $250 billion military modernization program is fracturing.
Almost one-fourth of the total Indian Air Force (IAF) airborne strength is outmoded – 10 of its 42 squadrons are needed to immediately grounded over poor safety record, including Russian made Mig-21s and Mig-27s, dubbed as ‘flying coffins’.
In March 2018, a senior General in a report to Indian parliamentary defense committee said that there are huge deficiencies and obsolesce of weapons, stores, and ammunition existing in the Army. About two-third of the army inventory is obsolete.
Earlier in 2017, Indian army rejected an Indian-made riffle for the second consecutive year in a row, after it failed to clear the quality tests. Its other locally-made military products like Arjun tanks, Teja LCAs, and even bullet-proof jackets cannot frequently be used on the sensitive borders of China and Pakistan over performance issues.
Indian vice army chief summed up Indian military production, Pakistan has better industrial base than India as far as defense production is concerned. Pakistan’s defense equipment exports are definitely more than India does.