Why does India need so many new fighter planes?
India is going to acquire some 40 new Russian Sukhoi-30 fighters, there is a likelihood that we will acquire Hercules aircraft from the United States, the Indian Air Force has floated tenders on a 126 fighter jets and all of this is going to cost billions of dollars. What is the reason that we need so many expensive fighter aircraft? To this Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi said, “If India has to grow economically, there has to be peace and stability around us. And history tells us that peace and stability is not possible without a certain amount of military muscle. In terms of Air Force acquisition, it is not that we will have to pay billions of dollars on Day One. This is something that is spread out over many many years. A 126 fighter jets will take a decade or more to produce. I would like to believe that we have worked out what we need and what is necessary.” Has decision making on defence purchases become very slow and painful after the Bofors scandal? It took India 15 years to purcha
