MRFA Deal: IAF Prioritizes The “Buy Global Make In India” Route For 114 Aircrafts

The Indian Air Force (IAF) would prefer to use the ‘Buy Global Make in India’ path over the strategic partnership strategy model to manufacture 114 multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) for a tender worth over USD 20 billion.

‘Buy Global Make in India’ is a procurement category established by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 to facilitate the acquisition of foreign military systems and their production in India as part of the ‘Make in India’ defence initiative. The IAF would need the 114 MRFA project in addition to the indigenous LCA Tejas and the 5th Generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme to maintain an edge over both Northern and Western opponents.

We prefer to adopt the Buy Global Make in India method, which is also desired by the vendors who are expected to participate in the programme, according to government sources. The F-18, F-15, and F-21 (a modified version of the F-16), as well as the Russian Mig-35 and Su-35, the French Rafale, the Swedish Saab Gripen, and the Eurofighter Typhoon, are planned to take part in the programme.

According to them, the Indian Air Force had also requested their input on the procurement technique that they would prefer to use in the programme, and the majority of them had expressed a preference for the Buy Global Make in India path solely.