Vick wrote:People actually think that the IAF procurment people wake up in the morning, turn to IE and see good stuff about the F-18 and say, let's buy that?
Does anyone actually think that what the aam janta thinks about what a/c the IAF should choose will actually influence IAF/MoD's decision? You think lakhs of people will hold hartals and rasta rokos because Plane X was chosen instead of Plane Y? Vast majority of the people in India don't give a sh!t about the MRCA and the ones that do don't have influence in the decision. It's the people in the corridors of power that will decide this not IE readers.
Vick:
If a view is promoted in the media that a particular aircraft is the right choice, the decision makers would worry that if they do not choose that plane:
1. They will be pilloried in the press. All types of aspersions will be cast upon them.
2. The next step would be for someone in the Parliament to criticize the decision citing the newspaper reports. If enough ruckus is raised, an inquiry commision will be set up, there will be hearings, and the life of the professionals who made that decision will become hell.
Post-Bofors, HDW etc. scandals, fear of a scandal has scared people into inaction when it comes to military purchases. The press often exploits this fear.