Somewhere I read that Mikoyen offered us Mig 29 assembly and joint future development option in late 80s when our last Mig 21 roll out from HALs line.
If the above information is true, I think it was a missed opportunity, a good 200-250 nos of Mig 29 could kill the MMRCA problem we are facing now
Later around 2011, order of 120-140 Su 30mki/sm + roughly around this time another 5/6 squadron if Su 35/30 mki might solve the squadron/modernization problem we are facing right now .
Well just like current mmrca saga the previous one was a long one too.
Jags were offered they were twin engine and good replacement for Marut which the politician decided to dump for Jags.
But then French offered Mirage 2k an already proven series of fighter jets against Porks acquisition of F-16.
IAF liked it better and had avionics etc better than what we had . But then UK Whitemaster used their whip and we decided to continue with Jags but IAF was keen on Mirage so requirement if 300+ was divided among both type.
A contract for 150 was being negotiated with French 40 to be bought 110 assembled/built in India by HAL. Dassault involvement and Support for Tejas project and many things were discussed.
We got 40 of those but Russia intervened with Mig 29 offered at half the price of Mirage. We bought 80+ of them eventually and Mirage was cancelled. But USSR collapse kind of ended Mig future with production spread among different new states.
Then came Sukhoi -27 and it goes on.
In short IAF had a good plan but got fcuked up every now and then by politics.