India in talks for buying 57 additional Hawk advanced trainers

Sujit Chatterjee
Farnborough, Jul 20 (PTI) India is in the process of
finalising with the UK the terms of reference for buying an
additional 57 Hawk advanced trainer for the Indian Air Force,
Minister of State for Defence M M Pallamraju said Tuesday.
"The government has decided to exercise the option of
buying an additional 57 Hawk trainer jets manufactured by the
British Aerospace. Details of the contract and the terms of
reference of the deal are being negotiated with the UK,"
Pallamraju, who is leading Indian delegation to the
Farnborough Air Show, the biggest in the world, told PTI.
India, which had earlier signed a deal for purchase of
the two-seater Hawk trainer planes, has already received 24 of
the single-engine aircraft in a fly-away condition. Of the
another 42 of the planes, which were to be produced by the
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, six have been supplied to the
IAF.
The Hawk, which can also be used as a combat aircraft,
provides advance stage three training to IAF pilots. It can
fly at a maximum speed of 1.2 times the speed of sound.
The Minister, who is on a six-day visit to the UK,
refused to give a time-frame for finalising the terms of
reference of the multi-billion dollar deal.
The Hawk is used by the Royal Air Force and 900 of
them have supplied to 18 countries so far.
Pallamraju, who has been interacting with top armament
manufacturers here, said he told them that they stand a better
chance of bagging orders from India if they agree to make the
country self-reliant in weapon systems.
The Minister, who arrived in London on Saturday, had
met top brass of Russian weapons manufacturers, British
Aerospace, EADS, Saab, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. He has
also had a meeting with Prince Andrew, who is Britain's
Ambassador for Industry.
Many of the firms Pallamraju interacted with are bidding
for the 126 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) India is
proposing to buy. He also had meetings with Israeli arms
producers.
Pallamraju said he conveyed to international arms
producers that India has initiated the "buy and make policy"
under which any Indian company entering into a contract with a
foreign firm has to manufacture 50 per cent of its systems in
the country in terms of value to allow job creation. The rest
50 per cent can be imported, he said.
"The modes of acquisition have been several. One is to
buy directly from a foreign company, another is to purchase
and ensure transfer of technology while yet another is to buy
and make in India.
"We have given a message to the defence public sector
undertakings to get the latest technology under the buy and
make policy without involving outright purchases," the
Minister said.
The make and buy policy also involves availability of
spares for weapon systems in times of emergency and ensures
that India becomes self-reliant, he said, adding that the
effort is to ensure that the best available technology comes
in.
"I have had an opportunity in Farnborough to see the the
technology offers by armament manufacturers. I have also had
occasions to discuss a number of issues which had been
outstanding," Pallamraju said. PTI SC
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