India selects EF, Rafale for MMRCA shortlist

The Indian Ministry of Defense has issued letters, on Wednesday, to two of the six vendors competing in the estimated USD 10 billion Indian Air Force (IAF) tender for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), asking them to extend the validity of their commercial bids, which will expire on Thursday, tomorrow.

StratPost can confirm that the European Eurofighter Typhoon consortium and the French Dassault’s Rafale have been invited to do so, effectively making up the shortlist.

StratPost can also confirm that according to the IAF and the ministry, the other aircraft in the fray, the US Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet, the US Lockheed Martin Corporation’s F-16, the Russian MiG-35 and the Swedish SAAB’s Gripen did not pass the technical evaluation conducted by the IAF.

It is noteworthy that this comes just a day before the commercial bids of all six vendors were to expire.

It would not be unsurprising if this move by the ministry and it’s coincidentally sharp timing were to raise the hackles of the spurned vendors. Industry insiders are already expecting to see a robust response from these vendors and their countries of origin, at least in private, to this decision.

One question some of the vendors losing out are already asking is why the ministry asked all the vendors to resubmit their offset proposals early this month if they already knew the outcome of the technical evaluation submitted by the IAF last summer, and waited till a day before the expiry of the commercial bids to effectively announce a shortlist by inviting extension of commercial bids from only two vendors.

The commercial bids of the other four vendors will lapse on Thursday, tomorrow.

Something else the uninvited vendors are ready to question is the basis for judging technical compliance, with robust speculation that none of the MMRCA-6 aircraft were actually completely compliant with the IAF’s 643 parameters listed in the Air Staff Qualitative Requirements (ASQRs) for the tender.

It seems clear that these issues will not be settled quickly. Watch out for more on this tonight, at StratPost.

  18 comments for “India selects EF, Rafale for MMRCA shortlist

  1. May 28, 2011 at 5:34 pm

    That’s an interesting and new approach to maximizing strategic gains from an arms order. It would be interesting to know how BAE Systems would react to this.

  2. Sonny
    May 25, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    Now all that needs to be done is to point out to the UK that for the 10 Billion dollar order… that will save umpteen British jobs…  the British could show some good faith: RETURN THE KOIHINOOR DIAMOND TO IT’S RIGHTFUL OWNERS… All Indian orders of such magnitude MUST have a caveat that ‘asks’ for ‘return’ of a looted National Treasure.

  3. Roach
    April 28, 2011 at 5:03 pm

    So that’s why they staged a revolution in Libya – an advertising campaign!

  4. Riyan_psgim
    April 28, 2011 at 8:51 am

    Gr8 news… Hope our govt. will stand upto US and Russian onslaught after this…

  5. Nit
    April 28, 2011 at 8:20 am

    The Americans should not be worried about the deal. Boeing alone has 14 billion dollars of order from India. What else it want? US should not expect Boeing to get even the MRCA deal? should it.

    My guess the choice is heavily dependent on who is ready to part with their tech. Euro and Rafale are the best option. And Rafale the better one, as the French are desperate for a export and India will be happy to squeeze them.

  6. Roby_salsus
    April 28, 2011 at 3:27 am

    This is amazing.This piece of news that the Eurofighter typhoon & Rafale were shortlisted is taken off from most newspapers and websites within hours of its breaking. I hope there is no political gameplan being played behind the scene when the IAF has technically selected the two superior fighters over the others legacy brands with the likes of F-16 and F/A-18.The Americans fight tooth and nail for their business interest and don’t shy away from arm twisting wherever they can moreover with such pathetic Govt. at the center in Inida ,one doesn’t have to do that even.

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