Process to buy 110 fighter planes for IAF takes off

The Indian Air Force issued the RFI (Request for Information) or initial tender for the billion dollar procurement deal which will be in sync with the government's Make in India initiative. Officials said the jets will be produced jointly by a foreign aircraft maker along with an Indian company under the recently-launched strategic partnership model which aims to bring in high-end defence technology to India. Leading military aircraft producers Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Saab and Dassault are among the competitors which are likely to vie for the mega deal.