Indian MRCA competition
[3] The MMRCA tender was floated with the idea of filling the gap between its future Light Combat Aircraft and its in-service Sukhoi Su-30MKI air superiority fighter.
The contest featured six fighter aircraft: Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-16, Mikoyan MiG-35, and Saab JAS 39 Gripen.
Dassault refused to take responsibility for the 108 HAL-manufactured Rafales, as it had reservations about the ability of HAL to accommodate the complex manufacturing and technology transfers of the aircraft.
[30] Six aircraft were bid for the order – the Swedish Saab Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, French Dassault Rafale, Russian Mikoyan MiG-35, and the American F-16IN and F/A-18IN Super Hornet ("IN" are the proposed Indian versions).
[35] While not included in the MRCA requirement, the French fighter has more configurations of potential interest for the IAF: a carrier-based version (the Rafale M) and a capability for nuclear strategic strike.
[34] Without the software source code, the IAF would have to specify mission parameters to foreign manufacturers to enable configuration of their radar, seriously compromising security in the process.
[39] Dassault has also offered to fit the GTX-35VS Kaveri engine into the Rafale, which if chosen, would greatly improve commonality with the HAL Tejas that will enter service into the IAF by 2010.
The Super Hornet variant being offered to India, the F/A-18IN, is based on the F/A-18E/F model operated by the US Navy and being built for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
[49][50] In order to satisfy its offset requirements, Boeing has signed long-term partnership agreements with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Tata Industries, and Larsen & Toubro.
Based closely on the F-16E/F Block 60 as supplied to the UAE, the features on the F-16IN include:[52] Lockheed Martin offered to sell India the F-35 Lightning II aircraft in the future, as replacements, if the F-16 was chosen.
[citation needed] A major advantage of MiG-35 is that Russia is committed to transfer the plane's technology, including the new advanced Zhuk Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, to India.
[30][101][102] After the winner is chosen, there will be further rounds of negotiation to decide the final price, as well as sensor suite and aircraft configuration, along with other factors, like offsets and maintenance.
At Jaisalmer AFS, a Gripen would undertake the hot weather trials and also a dummy run and bomb drop at the Pokhran Firing Range.
[127] After entries from Lockheed Martin and Boeing were not short-listed, both companies requested a debrief to understand why their bids fell short in the technical evaluation.
[134] Some reports indicated that EADS may try to re-enter the bid with a lower price quote, but MoD sources ruled out re-entry; the Rafale's lifecycle cost per unit was about $40 million less than that of the Typhoon.
[138] Nicolas Sarkozy said the selection of Dassault's Rafale multi-role fighter "goes far beyond the company that makes them, far beyond aerospace – it is a vote of confidence in the entire French economy.
Dassault Aviation also stated that they reiterate their commitment to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force and underline their pride in contributing to India's defence for over half a century.
He also stated that he hoped that the order will finally open up real perspectives for the Rafale programme and referring to the lobbying done by the American, Russian and British governments, added that the political pressure applied by the competitors did not make things very easy.
Officials at the British High Commission in Delhi also said they were disappointed with the decision but added that it was expressly said this was about the cost of the contract, not a reflection on the health of bilateral relations between India and the countries.
In March 2012 UK defense minister Gerald Howarth told the British House of Commons that the Eurofighter Consortium respects the Indian government's decision but stands ready to enter further negotiations if possible.
[147] A total of 126 Rafale fighters are to be supplied; Dassault Aviation is to build the initial batch of 18, with the remaining aircraft produced by HAL in India.
[153][154] Dassault wanted RIL to be the main partner in production of the aircraft, but the Indian government refused to allow that as the tender for the procurement had already specified that Hindustan Aeronautics would be the lead integrator.
[167] On an official visit to India at the start of July 2014, Laurent Fabius, the Foreign Minister of France, said discussions were "developing in [a] very positive way" and that he was "very confident about the final outcome."
[169] During an official visit from 6–8 July 2014, the British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he had discussed the Rafale contract and the Eurofighter, among other issues, with Sushma Swaraj, the new Indian Minister of External Affairs.
[170] Germany also expressed support for the Eurofighter to be reconsidered, and the US lobby said re-evaluating the American candidates in the MMRCA competition would "set the right tone" for a September visit to the US by the new Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Conversely, the entire MMRCA process is scrapped after being in the works for a decade, and a fresh global tender or RFP (request for proposal) is issued.
[174] On 18 August 2014, a senior defence ministry official said a draft contract was being finalised and that the Cost Negotiations Committee was expected to file a final report shortly.
Due to the protracted lack of progress over the final negotiations, a senior team of Dassault executives and French defence ministry officials were scheduled to visit India in November to expedite the process.
[180][181] On 23 September 2016, Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian signed the contract for the purchase of 36 off-the-shelf Rafales in a deal worth €7.8 billion with an option for 18 more at the same inflation-adjusted price.
Companies were reported to be preparing blueprints for supply chains and scouting for local production partners and re-evaluating their offer's cost effectiveness.
