Parrikar’s reply must make Lockheed Martin camp uneasy in the changed scenario after Trump’s becoming President of US that promotes domestic manufacturing and has warned companies from shifting production line from America. “We’ve briefed the administration on the current proposal, which was supported by the Obama administration as part of a broader cooperative dialogue with the government of India…We understand that the Trump administration will want to take a fresh look at some of these programs and we stand prepared to support that effort to ensure that any deal of this importance is properly aligned with U.S. policy priorities,” reads a statement from Lockheed Martin few days back.
India had issued limited tender to jet manufacturers of countries like US, Sweden and Russia in October last year to select yet another fighter to be built in India under technology transfer. SAAB of Sweden and Lockheed Martin from USA had responded with initial offer which entail Transfer of Technology (ToT) for manufacturing of fighter jets in India.
“The product which I want to buy, I want it to be made in India. Export to third nation is an additional bonus. If someone wants to shift a facility to India it's his choice, or he wants to assemble a new one. I am no way concerned with it,” said India’s Minister of Defense Manohar Parrikar at the Aero India show 2017 in Bengaluru.
India is expected to issue formal detailed request of proposal after receiving initial response from the global manufacturers in 2018. In the absence of formal proposal, global manufacturers are unaware of demanded numbers, technical requirements and cost of the exercise. However, final deal is expected to be signed by year 2021.
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