Boeing receives RFI for supply of six refuelling tankers to India

New Delhi: Boeing Co said Monday it had received initial requests for information (RFI) from the Indian government for the supply of six refuelling tankers. The announcement comes on the back of an announcement earlier this month that the US government had received a letter of request from India's ministry of defence for acquisition of 10 C-17 Globemaster-III advanced air transporters.

Boeing 767A tanker in Italian Air Force colours

"We will do a detailed evaluation of the request for interest from the Indian government, study our inventory, and accordingly inform the government," Vivek Lall, vice president and country head of defence and space and security at Boeing India, told reporters.

There was no comment on the value of the contract.

"We will have to study what we can supply and then only we can talk about the value of the order."

Boeing Wichita has modified and delivered four tankers to Japan and is working on the modification of four tankers for Italy.

India is one of the world's top importers of arms and is currently engaged in modernizing its largely Soviet-era fleet of AN-32 and Il-76 air transporters.

Boeing estimates that likely Indian arms purchases could allow it to bid for deals worth about $31 billion between 2009 and 2019. Likely deals could involve purchase of fighter and attack aircraft, heavy lift cargo aircraft, missiles, airborne early warning and training systems.