MMRCA race hots up as India invited to join Eurofighter consortium as partner

New Delhi: The Eurofighter consortium, makers of the Typhoon combat jets, said Thursday they were inviting India to join their consortium as a partner. The move, said analysts, is designed to boost chances of the consortium to land the Indian Air Force's $11 billion contract for 126 medium range multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA).

The Eurofighter consortium comprises Alenia SpA of Italy's Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems PLC  of the UK and the Spanish and German units of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co - EADS Casa and EADS Germany.

Interestingly, India becomes the first non-European country to be invited to join the consortium, a senior executive from EADS informed the media. The offer, according to the executive, is contingent upon India opting for the Eurofighter for its air force. The executive spoke on conditions of anonymity.

The executive said that manufacturing parts of the combat aircraft in India will also help the makers of the Eurofighter meet the Indian government's offset requirements if it buys the aircraft, he said.

Adding increased weight to the offer was a comment from chief executive, military air systems, EADS, Bernhard Gerwert, who said at a press conference, "If India becomes a partner, they will also become a partner in all future technology enhancement."

"As part of our industrial cooperation offer, we invite India to become our member," said Gerwert.

India's ministry of defence has issued formal invitations to six foreign companies to supply 126 multi-role combat jets in a deal potentially worth about $11 billion.

The Indian Air Force currently operates a mix of Russian-made MiG and Sukhoi aircraft, as well as UK Jaguars and French Mirages.

Apart from the Eurofighter, Lockheed Martin Corp's F-16 Falcon, Boeing Co's  F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, Dassault Aviation's Rafale and the Swedish Gripen fighter are also in contention for the deal.

Eurofighter plans to submit its bid for the combat jets on 28 April, which is technically the last day for receiving bids, a statement from Eurofighter said.

Though Indian defence regulations require foreign military companies, which have won contracts worth more than $71 million, to reinvest at least 30 per cent of the contract value back into the country's defence sector, in the case of the combat aircraft deal, this offset requirement has been raised to 50 per cent.