India to get Rafale jets sooner than 36 months:Parrikar
posted on Oct 2, 2016 @ 6:25PM
On September 23, India and France signed the Euro 7.87-billion (Rs 59,000 crore approx) deal for Rafale fighter jets, equipped with latest missiles and weapon system besides multiple India-specific modifications that will give the IAF greater "potency"over arch rival Pakistan. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday hinted at the early arrival of the Rafale fighter jets from France to India.
“As per the terms of the deal, it is 36 months, but it may come earlier slightly,” Parrikar told the media at the sidelines of Swachhta rally. Parrikar also said that a 12-member committee to suggest structural changes in the military on cutting down flab and reducing revenue (maintenance) expenditure will soon submit its report.The committee is headed by Lt Gen (Retd) DB Shekatkar. The 'vanilla price' (just of the aircraft alone) will cost about 91 million Euros each for a single-seater and about 94 million Euros for a two-seater trainer aircraft.