Indian Air Force to award contracts for 126 combat aircraft after April next year

The Indian Air Force has said it is currently holding trials for the medium multi-role combat aircraft and once the tests are over by April next year, it would initiate the process of awarding contracts to global contenders for acquiring 126 such planes.

"We will complete flight test evaluation for these aircraft by April. The report would then be sent to the government. The evaluation report would be discussed by the Cabinet Committee on Security, after which the process of awarding contract would be initiated. The aircraft would be in service by 2013," Indian Air Force Head Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Naik told the media in the western state of Maharashtra.

America's Boeing and Lockheed Martin, French D'Assault, Swedish SAAB, European consortium EADS and Russian MiG are among the global contenders for the contracts of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft to be decided by the process of tenders.

Source: Xinhua