pmaitra
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Can India leverage France bailing on Russia?
Commentators at the venerable DFI have been watching the Dassalt Rafale deal with interest. Some would like to have the envisaged deal sooner than later, while some would rather have it minus the ToT, while some prefer to scrap it already and focus on the HAL LCA Tejas. Some have even tried to explained that Rafale is a big mistake. There have been claims that this deal was finalized by Sonia Gandhi's sisters and Carla Bruni.
Now, with the Ukrainian Civil War raging between the proxies of western powers and the Russian Federation, France, apparently has come under immense pressure from the US, and even more pressure from Germany, to scrap the supply of the Mistral.
France risks a contract to supply 126 fighter jets to India because of the refusal to give the Russian Federation "Mistral"
On the planes:
On turbines:
Building fighter planes is something India is going to be able to do. India has been grappling with its jet engines.
How can India benefit from these feuding Europeans?
Commentators at the venerable DFI have been watching the Dassalt Rafale deal with interest. Some would like to have the envisaged deal sooner than later, while some would rather have it minus the ToT, while some prefer to scrap it already and focus on the HAL LCA Tejas. Some have even tried to explained that Rafale is a big mistake. There have been claims that this deal was finalized by Sonia Gandhi's sisters and Carla Bruni.
Now, with the Ukrainian Civil War raging between the proxies of western powers and the Russian Federation, France, apparently has come under immense pressure from the US, and even more pressure from Germany, to scrap the supply of the Mistral.
France risks a contract to supply 126 fighter jets to India because of the refusal to give the Russian Federation "Mistral"
Mistral row: France risks losing Rafale contract in IndiaFrance can not afford to refuse deliveries "Mistral" in Russia, said the director of the Franco-Russian Analytical Center Observatory at the Franco-Russian Chamber of Commerce Arnaud Dubien Thursday 4th of September.
According to him, the point here is even not in Russia or financial losses from the termination of the contract.
"The reason for reputational risk in the arms market. Employees of the Ministry of Defence of France, in private conversations recognize that if we do not put the "Mistral" to Russia, France lost a contract to supply 126 fighter jets to India "- says Arnaud Dubien.
What can India do here?A source in the Indian Defence Ministry said that India was "watching the developments closely." The source added it was too early to say if this would factor into the government's decision to sign a contract. "When such a large amount of money is paid and then a supplier uses geopolitics to delay or suspend deliveries, it does raise eyebrows," the source, who was not authorised to talk to the media, said. The Indian Ministry of Defence could not be immediately reached for official comment.
On the planes:
- Can India put even more pressure on France to sweeten the deal further, showing them that they are not a reliable supplier?
- Can India take the deal to Russia, and buy fighter jets from them at a significantly cheaper rate than what Russia would charge PRC, citing "old friendship," and showing them that India is willing to take business out from France and bring it to Russia?
On turbines:
Building fighter planes is something India is going to be able to do. India has been grappling with its jet engines.
- Can India pressurize France to pull its socks up over the Kaveri and "prove its mettle" (for want of a better phrase) within a certain time frame, in order to encourage progress on the Rafale deal?
- Can India pressurize Russia, citing monetary benefits in the face of western sanctions, to set up a turbine factory in India, that would be able to build the entire jet engine with resources available in India?
How can India benefit from these feuding Europeans?