India to go for quick Mirage buys: Air chief

In view of depleting force levels, the Indian Air Force plans to quickly buy some Mirage 2000-5. The move is a result of delay in finalising the contract for buying 126 multi-role combat aircraft for which even request for proposals (RFPs) have not been issued yet.

"We are in negotiations with France for supply of some Mirage-2000-5," IAF chief Air Marshal SP Tyagi said today. Talks for buying 12 Mirage fighters from Qatar had also been revived, he said.

Tyagi had in June written to the defence minister warning of poor preparedness level of the force due to erosion of the fleet strength.

The IAF's strength has plunged to 39 squadrons. This was expected to dip to 27 in 2007, sources said, adding that Pakistan had closed the gap with its 24 squadrons, denying the IAF the 2.5:1 advantage, both in numbers and quality of aircraft. There are also reports that Pakistan is on the verge of buying more F-16s from the US.

Tyagi said India was close to buying quick reaction surface-to-air missiles from Israel. The 18 Spyder missile systems will cost more than Rs 1,800 crore.

Asserting that the government was "alive and responsive" to the depleting force, he said Hindustan Aeronautics Limited had increased production of Sukhoi-30MKI fighters. He said the IAF would buy six more IL-78 mid-air refuellers.

The planned induction of lethal military platforms and systems in India's neighbourhood was a cause for concern, Tyagi said, adding that the IAF had already factored in these arms purchases by Pakistan in its planning.

Maintaining that "our vision" was to acquire "strategic reach" and trans-oceanic capability, Tyagi said the IAF was preparing for induction of British Hawk advanced jet trainers and airborne and early warning system (Awacs) aircraft by next year.

He said the force would get 20 upgraded Jaguars and 20 indigenous light combat aircraft by 2009.

"We are also taking steps to upgrade our superiority through MIG-29 and Mirage-2000 fighters," he said. Though he did not not elaborate on the interim purchase of Mirage fighters, highly placed sources said effort was on to make this a deal between the government of the two countries. A high-level French delegation is in India for negotiations.

Modernisation is confined to fighters. Tyagi said next year, the force would induct 80 helicopters and start upgrade of its Russian Mi-17 helicopters, AN-32 medium-lift and IL-76 heavy lift transport aircraft.

On AWACS, Tyagi, who recently visited Israel to see the work on the systems, said preparatory work on the project was on.