MMRCA On Track, IAF Hopes To Sign Contract By Year End

The Chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne today addressed the issues surrounding the MMRCA deal which has been plagued by several delays since Dassault was awarded the contract last year.

"The MMRCA is very much on track. The Contract Negotiation Committee process is currently on. I expect contract negotiations to be complete by May this year. We should be in a position to sign the contract by the end of the year," Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Norman Browne said today at his press conference at the Aero India show, in Bangalore.

He also added that he was "keen that it's all wrapped up this year" and said that it is quite likely since the negotiations have been on for the past year.

Browne said that he hoped the MMRCA negotiation wouldn’t take too long and cited the IAF’s Mirage 2000 upgrade (which took two years) as an example.

Addressing the issue that Dassault insisted on th freedom to decide on the quantum of work to be shared between companies like HAL.

Browe said there were "no issues" on the IAF's part. "Our interest is with the direct supply of 18 aircraft. The other 108 will be license produced by HAL. Dassault is free to choose production partners in India and abroad for kits. But these kits finally have to go to HAL for license production. We don't get into that. That isn't our concern".