New Delhi: In what can only be seen as a prudent decision, the Government of India has turned down a bid made by the Indian Air Force to purchase six new Airbus-330 MRTT (multi-role tanker transport) refuelling aircraft. Taking onboard the finance ministry's objections that the A-330MRTT was far too costly a buy, as compared to the Russian Il-78 refuellers that the Indian Air Force is already equipped with, the government decided to cancel an agreed upon $1.5 billion contract with European aerospace major EADS.
Airbus-330 MRTT
Airbus is a subsidiary unit of EADS.
''The RFP (request for proposal) will be re-floated and will go to EADS, Boeing and Ilyushin among others, for a global competition now,'' a defence ministry official said Wednesday.
Defence minister AK Antony had earlier informed Parliament that the finance ministry had ''expressed certain reservations relating to the competitiveness of the bids and the reasonableness of the price'' for the refueller aircraft.
Though it already deploys at least six of the Il-78 'Midas' tankers, the IAF opted for the A-330s as it felt they better met its future requirements.
The IAFs mid-air refueller squadron is based in Agra.
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