India has to choose among the F-18, Rafale, Eurofighter and Gripen to be manufactured locally to meet the existing requirements of the Indian Air Force.

India has left everyone guessing in regards to who it will choose to manufacture a new fleet of combat aircraft for its air force. Though it is evident that the government is in talks with Sweden’s SAAB, France’s Dassault Aviation, and Boeing and Lockheed Martin of the US, it has not given any indications as to which of the contenders would be bagging the contract.

During Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar’s recent visit to the US, Boeing and Lockheed Martin made official proposals to manufacture F/A-18 and F-16 respectively under the ‘Make in India’ campaign, triggering speculations in favor of the US. But Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar’s upcoming visit to Linkoping of Sweden to inspect the production facility of SAAB where Gripen fighter jets are produced indicates that India is equally interested in Gripen.

According to Defense Ministry sources, Parrikar is likely to visit Sweden this month. Earlier in June this year, Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha inspected the SAAB production facility in Linkoping.

SAAB has offered to develop, manufacture and undertake the final assembly of its Gripen E fighter jet in India with actual Transfer of Technology under the Make in India project. This would be a big relief for SAAB as India has not signed any major deal with the Swedish firm after a political storm triggered by allegations of corruption in the purchase of Bofors howitzers in 1987.

Recently, India rejected SAAB’s offer to set up a production line under 'Make in India' and to supply the latest Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the indigenous fighter aircraft Tejas MK1A.

In an interview to All India Radio in May this year, Manohar Parrikar said, “India will select a good fighter by the end of this financial year to be made domestically. It is not yet decided which aircraft it would be. It may be F-18, Rafale, Eurofighter or Gripen. The decision in this regard will be taken in this financial year.”