Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Bangalore: Government today gave no time-frame to finalise the multi-billion dollar deal to supply 126 fighter jets to IAF, saying the selection is a "very complex process" and would take its own time.
"It's a very complex process", Defence Production Secretary Pradeep Kumar told reporters in response to questions on the eve of the biennial air show Aero India.
"Technical evaluation is going on and after that, the trials will be conducted in hot regions and cold regions", he said, adding these trials would take place within India. The finalising would take its own time, he added.
India had received bids from six companies for the contract -- Lockheed Martin and Boeing of the United States, Russia's MiG, which is part of the United Aircraft Corporation, France's Dassault, Sweden's Saab and the EADS consortium of British, German, Spanish and Italian companies.
He said some of the aircraft in contention are participating in the air show but added it has nothing to do with the deal whose estimate he put in the range of Rs 40,000 crore-Rs 45,000 crore.
10/02/09 PTI/Press Trust of India
"It's a very complex process", Defence Production Secretary Pradeep Kumar told reporters in response to questions on the eve of the biennial air show Aero India.
"Technical evaluation is going on and after that, the trials will be conducted in hot regions and cold regions", he said, adding these trials would take place within India. The finalising would take its own time, he added.
India had received bids from six companies for the contract -- Lockheed Martin and Boeing of the United States, Russia's MiG, which is part of the United Aircraft Corporation, France's Dassault, Sweden's Saab and the EADS consortium of British, German, Spanish and Italian companies.
He said some of the aircraft in contention are participating in the air show but added it has nothing to do with the deal whose estimate he put in the range of Rs 40,000 crore-Rs 45,000 crore.
10/02/09 PTI/Press Trust of India
Labels: Defense
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