DAC likely to clear acquisition of 26 Rafale-M fighters today
The council may also approve the construction of seven more Project 17B stealth frigates for the Indian Navy at a total cost of ₹70,000 crores
India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) is expected to clear the final hurdle for the acquisition of 26 Rafale-Maritime strike aircraft for the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant when it meets on Tuesday (September 3).
The Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, will reportedly convene the cost negotiating committee after the final amendment is adopted.
The DAC may also approve the construction of seven more Project 17B stealth frigates for the Indian Navy at a total cost of ₹70,000 crores. Each weighing around 8,000 tonnes, these frigates will have enhanced strike capability.
Since the Navy needs the Rafale-M fighters to be deployed at the earliest, the DAC is expected to drop the amendment to integrate DRDO’s AESA radars on the fighters. Two factors seem to be influencing this decision - the cost of integrating these radars and the fact that the project will be delayed. The Navy has stressed that they need the Rafale-M fighters urgently since the MiG-29K fighters aboard the other aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya are not many in number and need to be upgraded.
Indian Navy’s capabilities to be enhanced
The Indian Navy will be strengthened in the next few months since in addition to the Rafale-M fighters, it will be acquiring 41 MQ 9B Predator armed drones from the US manufacturer General Atomics and the indigenous construction of three more Kalvari-class submarines will be approved by the end of this year.
The Indian Navy has no other option but to bolster its capabilities further to be able to nullify any threat from the Chinese Navy which has been making aggressive moves against Japan and the Philippines and turning the Indo-Pacific region into one of conflict and instability. Analysts are of the opinion that China will send long-range patrols in the Indian Ocean in the coming years with turn-around bases in Djibouti, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and maybe even Bangladesh.
The US has assured India that it is ready to supply the country with any military equipment needed for its defence, and the French government is willing to support India’s efforts to manufacture fighters, long-range missile systems, and underwater drones.
