USA can try Gifting F21 to PAF, an obsolete fighter
Americans are simply not ready to give up. Now and then they think of new methodologies to try and foist their obsolete F21 on the Indian Air Force. The American media says that the F-21 is a variant of the American F-16 which was developed solely for the Indian Air Force. However what gave them the idea that India would even look at those obsolete fighters, whose variant is operated by the PAF ? Instead why don’t they gift these “ brand new “ fighters to PAF ?
The clever by half US tried to woo India by offering a deal to sell their obsolete F21s I.e. if India places an order for 114 helicopters, the US guarantees that the F-21s remain solely for India and that maintenance, repairs, and upgrades will be done in India.
Since early 1960s New Delhi has been buying Russian military products because unlike the USA, USSR was willing to Sell what India wanted, at the cheapest price possible. Slowly India took the path of indigenization, and the Russians helped in this also, unlike the USA or UK which always planned to sabotage the Indian Atmanirbharta efforts. These attempts by the India to reduce its dependence on Western countries and even Russia began long ago, and by all accounts, India has been quite successful. In a few years, India should be becoming a major exporter of defence equipment.
Recently India’s Tata Advanced Systems signed an agreement with Airbus to manufacture military transport aircraft. The number has been specified – 40 Airbus C295 units will be built in India, which means a boost to the Indian Aviation industry. First of the aircrafts should be coming out by 2026 and by 2031, the planes to be produced at the company’s factory, will be carrying out 96% of the work in India itself.
Washington is trying to improve its relationship with India on one hand but then on the other hand they continue to supply more F16 to Pakistan and their ambassador there goes to PoK and does the dumbest act possible. So even though the US F-18 is the finalist in the tender for a naval aircraft in the Indian Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, it is unlikely to be selected due to variety of reasons.
New Delhi will not permit USA dominance in the field of air weapons systems to be imposed over India, even though Tata and Sikorsky are planning to manufacture SR76 helicopters in India, though IAF will not be touching them even with a barge pole.Though If the deal goes through, it will be a milestone in local aircraft engineering and manufacturing.
India holds a strong trump card in its hand – it already makes a variety of helicopters at HAL and soon will be producing a medium Transport helicopter. The chances of the SR-76 Sikorsky finding a new manufacturing home in the form of IAF is next to nil
