[Rockingham]

The sordid history of Russian-Indian arms deals forces that conclusion, as does the deeply corrupt nature of India's government and its arms procurement process. Eventually, the Indian Air Force will get new fighter aircraft of some sort, but a modern, stealthy air defense and strike capability against regional adversaries China and Pakistan is implausible.

In any event, India must soon ponder how to cope with the next stage in the evolution of air warfare -- autonomous, stealthy, unmanned combat aircraft. India will then have to turn to US and European suppliers if it wishes reliable, deliverable aircraft and control systems.

[onyx]

I can see I’m out of the loop on this one. Thanks very much for your comments.

[ravager]

Regardless of whatever ‘sordid’ history of Russian - Indian arms deal you hear from the press, fact is almost all of India's best front line weapon systems are Russian including Su-30mki, T-90 tanks, Aircraft Carriers, Nuclear subs, supersonic cruise missiles, AWACs.

Russia, France and Israel have a formidable reputation in India that no other country enjoys, and most certainly not the US. And there are two major reasons for that. All of those countries have pledged 100% support for Indian position in an Indo - Pak conflict. And all of those countries sell their military items with total technology transfer. It's much better to have slightly inferior weapons but with total access to technology then to have the most expensive weapons with no access to technology.

As for stealthy UCAVs India is already on to indigenous development with jv from Israel. Europe doesn't have stealthy UCAVs yet and US is unlikely to release the technology.

[ravager]

Regardless of whatever ‘sordid’ history of Russian - Indian arms deal you hear from the press, fact is almost all of India's best front line weapon systems are Russian including Su-30mki, T-90 tanks, Aircraft Carriers, Nuclear subs, supersonic cruise missiles, AWACs.

Russia, France and Israel have a formidable reputation in India that no other country enjoys, and most certainly not the US. And there are two major reasons for that. All of those countries have pledged 100% support for Indian position in an Indo - Pak conflict. And all of those countries sell their military items with total technology transfer. It's much better to have slightly inferior weapons but with total access to technology then to have the most expensive weapons with no access to technology.

As for stealthy UCAVs India is already on to indigenous development with jv from Israel. Europe doesn't have stealthy UCAVs yet and US is unlikely to release the technology.

[Jyotishi]

> India will then have to turn to US and European suppliers if
> it wishes reliable, deliverable aircraft and control systems.

I agree. India needs to buy most, if not all, weapons from the US and other western countries.