Let’s just assume the QPQ part is correcttsarkar wrote:Did you listen to French Foreign Minister in Ambala saying France will support India's bid for permanent membership for UNSC?KSingh wrote:India is actually paying billions to be worse off, words fail me.
Most deals are QPQ for similar reasons.
The rush to buy Naval Seahawk was such that no competition was held. No one even questioned the G2G deal Atleast the Mi-26 competed against the Chinook and Mi-28 against the Apache.
Given that India wont reduce tariffs for fully imported Harley Davidson and Ford Mustang, something gotta give and it was the Seahawks, Apaches and more P-8I to balance the trade imbalance.
All for the greater good. Atleast indigenous Maruti and Royal Enfield aren't disadvantaged against foreign products.
The PM & FM has to balance all decisions. The PM & FM are PM & FM of India and not PM & FM of Defence.
1) why KA-226? Why not more 17V5s for the same ($2-3bn)? The IAF was trying to order more batches but that never materialised.
KA-226 was actually not selected in RSH, the FENNEC was. It’s rather disturbing that the GoI entirely ignored this selection and went for L2. If India was a mature democracy with a functioning opposition and media with any sense this would be a govt ending scandal but alas GoIs rely on the ignorance and indifference of their constituents to get their way
So if QPQ is needed (haven’t seen many other nations playing this game of buying off UNSC members in such a transparent manner m) and it’s a simple dollar amount why not select something that will actually benefit indian industry and or Indian armed forces not harm them? Could have leased another SSN from Russia for the same amount, could’ve ordered another 2-3 A-50 PHALCONS etc. The list is endless
It seems like Russia uses India as a dumping ground for all their junk- first it was the unfinished 11356 Hulls now it’s this KA226 helicopter that was designed as a basic farmer’s helicopter (google the videos) and then given a modest update and marketed to India. Where are the other operators lining up for it? Russia says India will be able to export it to third parties knowing full well there is zero demand for it out there. With 200 units India will easily become the world’s largest user of the type (by a huge margin)
Meanwhile HAL LUH is a bespoke solution designed from the outset to SQRs, again no other country would shoot them selves in the foot like this.
Every single KA-226 ordered is 1 less LUH that will be ordered. Cannot spin this any other ways. Even the pakis have more shame than this.
2) the MH-60R is the successor to the S-70B vs NH-90 NMRH competition that the S-70B won so moot point. Almost all of the American hardware in Indian hands has come from an open tender and competition. Cannot remember the last time a Russian product ordered by India had ANY competition, they just pop up out of nowhere (like the AK-203 deal) and are GTG from the outset.
Prem Kumar has taken the wind out my sails on most points
The ‘greater good’ argument doesn’t hold true if your objective is to be a self reliant global power.
I’ve said it before in other forums but India doesn’t deserve the talents it is blessed with, no wonder the best and brightest all flee abroad.
LCA fruits being seeing and MK.2 being readied—> commence MMRCA 2.0/MRFA
Design and construct domestic SSBN and aircraft carrier—> seek out gold plated foreign SSKs (P75I)
Maturity being seen in small arm front from PSUs and private sector—> buy AK203 to kill off the entire industry for the next 30+ years
Pour years and years into domestic RPA/UAS projects—> start talks for American drones that won’t even have their command/control centres on Indian soil
Arjun is a mature product—> cap orders at 124 units and order a few 100 more T90
World class P17A under construction —> order 4 inferior 11356 frigates
I could literally go on and on
Myopic thinking will ensure India never takes the logical next step to the power table.