Hoping to get a slice of the upcoming arms deals and strengthen future cooperation with India in this sector when the country opens its Defence industry to foreign investment, Western powers are all set to knock at the door of Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon.
Top politicians from France, the United States and Britain will reach India over the next two weeks and call on Modi to discuss Defence purchase cooperation as modernising Indian military and Air Force is a priority area for the Modi Government.
Modi has made it clear that he wants India to become an arms manufacturing hub from being one of the biggest arms importers. As part of this, the NDA Government wants to open its Defence manufacturing industry for foreign investment.
French Foreign Minister laurent Fabius will reach Delhi on Monday to discuss among other things the sale of 126 Rafale fighter jets, built by Dassault Aviation, to India for an estimated $15 billion.
Fabius will meet both Modi and Defence and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
He will be followed by US Senator John McCain. McCain represents Arizona constituency which houses major arms manufacturers like Boeing and Raytheon. He told the Senate on Thursday that Washington should help India improve its economic and military powers.
“This is an area where US Defence capabilities, technologies, and cooperation — especially between our Defence industries — can benefit India enormously,” McCain said on India’s drive to modernise the armed forces.
In the second week of July, British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Finance Minister George Osborne are also expected to reach India to discuss pending arms deals and future prospects of cooperation.
Meanwhile, sources said the IAF has told Jaitley that India will lose its conventional edge against Pakistan if the contract to buy 126 Rafale medium multi-role combat aircraft or MMRCA is not clinched immediately.
French aerospace major Dassault Aviation had won the contract to supply the fighter jets to the IAF in 2012. The Air Force, which ideally requires 44 squadrons but can manage with 39, currently only has 32 squadrons; 12 of them of the near-obsolete MiG-21s.