In a significant development, France has
submitted its response to Bharat’s tender for buying 26 Rafale Marine jets for
the Indian Navy’s aircraft carriers – INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.
The response to Bharat’s Letter of
Acceptance has been submitted by France in New Delhi, defence sources told ANI.
A team of French Government officials
dealing with military sales to foreign countries has flown over from Paris to
submit the response to Indian tender, they said.
The Indian side will carry out a
detailed study of the French bid for the Indian deal including the commercial
offer or price for the aircraft, along with other details of the contract.
Bharat will now negotiate the deal with
French Government officials, as it is a government-to-government contract.
The Navy Chief has directed the
officials to ensure that the timeframe required for the project is squeezed
significantly to ensure early finalisation and induction of the planes in the
inventory.
More than a month ago, India delivered
the Letter of Request to the French Government. The LoR is like a tender
document in which the Indian Government has specified all its requirements and
capabilities that it would want to have in the Rafale Marine aircraft being
acquired for the aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.
The Indian Navy and the Indian Government
are working in a fast-track mode to ensure that the acquisition contract is
signed at the earliest and Indian carriers can operate the highly capable
aircraft to ensure an edge for New Delhi in the Indian Ocean region.
The aircraft deal worth around Euro 5.5
billion was cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council just before the visit of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to France as the State guest for their Bastille
Day parade this year in July.
As per the plans, the Indian Navy will
get 22 single-seated Rafale Marine aircraft along with four trainer aircraft.
ANI
