Indian Air Power at Risk as Rafale Warplane Deal Delayed
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India’s purchase of 126 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation SA is being delayed, even as the South Asian nation struggles for enough squadrons to counter potential threats from China and Pakistan.
The sticking points are the 2007 tender’s $11 billion price tag and India’s requirement for quality guarantees from Dassault for planes made under license locally by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., three officials with knowledge of the matter said. They asked not to be identified as the talks are private. India had aimed to sign the contract by the end of last year.