https://thediplomat.com/2019/08/us-moves-ahead-with-8-billion-f-16-fighter-jets-sale-to-taiwan/
I am not advocating for the F-16 for India, but Taiwan is looking to get 66 Block 70s, order book is still open and more will come. Before any line ever closes the US would have sold another 200 brand new aircraft. These will be maintained and operated for another 40 years. I am only stating that a 70's era aircraft will continue to compete with the likes of Rafale, EF, Gripen for atleast another decade and older operators of the F-16 will more or less switch to F-35.
It is also absolutely hilarious to see even the F-15 still selling strong in this day and age.
What France does and what US does when it comes to MIC, they are no where in the same league.
RFP for MRCA 2.0 hasn't gone out yet, so your price estimate for the F-16 is way off. Not that the IAF would take it anyways. IAF should drop the MRCA 2.0, stop wasting time and just order another 3-5 squadrons of the Rafale and get it over with.
COMCASA allows us to have US encrypted comms and other goodies but I am perfectly happy using our own IFF, datalinks, comms, encryption etc on platforms.
COMCASA is more a platform for intel sharing and it already allows for instant sharing of data with the US both outgoing and incoming.
Even if some COMCASA equipment goes on the new P-8I and other platforms it will beneficial for us. You are being silly if you think it hasn't been debated to the core in all 3 services for almost a decade and several older versions where ripped up till we found the right balance of give and take. COMCASA is essentially a decent compromise from the US since the standard CISMOA they sign with other nations are far more intrusive. In COMCASA we get to choose if we would like to have such gear at platform level or at command level. I believe IAF, IN, IA will continue to use home made IFFs, EW suites, Comms, Datalinks etc at platform level while using COMCASA kit at Command Centers this way our movements are kept secret while we receive real time inputs from the US which will then be shared with our units deployed.
Also your view that US is an unreliable partner isn't shared by the services who have increasingly bought from the US and many more will come. The services know that the civilian Govt. is more than able to iron out any differences through direct dialogue.
I'm talking on facts. If you will go back serval pages you will find total flaws in this F-21. It's only Taiwan who is getting this F-16 because Americans cannot sell there F-35 to them. Poland to Australia everyone is buying F-35.
US is not a reliable ally because of certain issue's and that's the reason why indian government is making itself much closer to france to replace Russia. And is still working with Russia buying s-400 and giving credit to them.
Us is a great ally lamo how many times trump fucked our stand on Kashmir issue for his pathetic tiny gains in Afghanistan? Or recently updated all Pakistani F-16 and to increase there operational ready ness.
If comcasa was so good why indian government took so much hmmmmms yesss to sign it and delayed it??
Certainly they wanted us weapons without it.
US will not supply india there best weapons cost is terribly high. They doesn't want to share tot
Russia still helped india in nuclear subs bhramos and many more things Ak-203
FRENCH are working in project 75.
I'm not a fan boy of any particular country but indian policy doesn't consider US as it's all time ally your comments are build and focused on what you think what should be done. What I'm saying the work which government is doing . That's why GOI is working with france
Us is a superpower they have multiple interests if you think they will be ever pro india then you need to wake Up
Rejected F-21 is also such kind of move. India still doesn't want to depend on US to much.
US is known for it's backstabbing policies i think this whole American interference is not a surprise to our diplomats because of the following reasons.
move which was nothing more than symbolism, US rechristened its ‘Pacific Command’, the ‘US Indo-Pacific Command’, underscoring the growing importance of India in US’ scheme of things but chose to repeatedly delay the much touted 2+2 dialogue. The meetings was scheduled for April 2018 between the Defence and the Foreign Ministers of India and US and address the growing differences over the Iran Nuclear Deal and the brewing tariff war between the two countries.
The postponements were seen as a sign of growing attenuation of US’ interest in India relations and Trump’s move back to US’ erstwhile AfPak centric South Asia Policy resulting in US moving closer to Pakistan at the cost of India relations.
*March 2018, US announced a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum that hurt India. US granted exemption to Argentina, European Union, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and S Korea but chose not to accede to India’s request for relief.
*After putting India on notice of its intent to terminate the country’s designation as a ‘beneficiary developing nation’ under the key Generalised System of Preference (GSP) trade programme on March 04 2019, US Administration withdrew GSP benefits to India with effect from June 05, 2019. During the meetings after India was put on notice, US had demanded that India allow imports of agriculture, milk, and poultry products from US. Obviously US chose to ignore India’s domestic interests
Chinese threat to India’s Northern borders and Indian Ocean besides China-Pakistan nexus are often cited as the reason why India needs to enter into a military alliance with US. Will US which till today has not even supported India’s claims against either Pakistan or China militarily intervene or fight alongside India’s military? US remaining silent during Doklam standoff is an eye opener
*Maintaining freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean and open airspace in the Indian Ocean region is a matter of interest to all the countries of the world which use these medium for transportation and not India’s alone. India becoming a US proxy in its efforts to contain China is not in the larger interests of the country. India’s emphasis under these circumstances lies in strengthening its economy, internal coherence and building military capacity. India will do well to maintain balance in it relations with the major powers.
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