French officials to visit India to rescue stalled Rafale jet deal

January 15, 2015 00:23

A French delegation will visit New Delhi this month to salvage an agreement to supply 126 Rafale fighter jets to the Indian Air Force that has hit a snag over the local assembly of the planes, threatening to derail one of the world's biggest defence deals.

India is insisting that France's Dassault Aviation take full responsibility for the production of the aircraft at a state-run facility in Bangalore under the 2012 bid offer, Indian defence ministry officials said.

France has said it will help Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd stick to delivery schedules, but that it cannot give guarantees for production of the aircraft made at a facility over which it has no administrative or expert control.

Military experts say the deal could cost India $20 billion, double the original estimate, because of the benchmarking of aircraft prices and a roughly 5 percent annual cost increase.

Read more HERE

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

76 Indian military personnel replaced by civilians: Maldives

However, the Maldives government has no intention of removing the doctors from India at Senahiya, a media report said.

England's pace great Anderson to retire from Tests in July

James Anderson will retire from Test cricket after the first match of the series against West Indies at Lord's this year.

EPL PIX: Gvardiol brace sends Man City to top

IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.

Nadal still unsure on French Open participation

Rafael Nadal said he was still in two minds about whether he will play in the French Open.

Modi will continue to lead: BJP rejects Kejriwal's claim

Senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, asserted on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will complete his full term if elected to power, refuting the Aam Aadmi Party's claim that Modi wants Shah...