The Russian Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft, which is produced under licence in India by the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as the Su-30 Mki is sometimes considered more expensive than the Sukhois produced in Russia, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Sunday. She accused the opposition Congress of shedding “crocodile tears’’ over HAL losing out in a deal forged by the Narendra Modi government to purchase 36 French Rafale fighters for the IAF.
The Russian Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft, which is produced under licence in India by the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as the Su-30 Mki is sometimes considered more expensive than the Sukhois produced in Russia, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Sunday. She accused the opposition Congress of shedding “crocodile tears’’ over HAL losing out in a deal forged by the Narendra Modi government to purchase 36 French Rafale fighters for the IAF.
“Sometimes it is felt that the Sukhoi that is produced in India is far more expensive than the Sukhoi produced in Russia. This all stands out to say that more help is to be given to HAL. Their capacity, skills, cutting down on overheads, all this has to happen. We are attending to all this,” she said at a press meet at the Air Force Station in Bengaluru. She alleged that it was the UPA regime that had failed HAL by not finalising the Rafale deal during its tenure.
She accused the opposition Congress of suggesting corruption and crony capitalism in the Narendra Modi government’s decision to go in for direct purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft from Dassault Aviation on the basis of half-truths and falsehood.
The NDA government has helped HAL by increasing the production capacity of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas) from eight per year to 16 per year, she said.
“From the time this government has come under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi we have ensured and seen what is holding back HAL and what is troubling HAL production of Tejas and I am glad to tell you from the annual number of eight we have given assistance to raise it to 16 a year,’’ she said. HAL has been provided Rs 20,000 crore to increase its production facilities by the NDA government, she added.
“Sometimes it is felt that the Sukhoi that is produced in India is far more expensive than the Sukhoi produced in Russia. This all stands out to say that more help is to be given to HAL. Their capacity, skills, cutting down on overheads, all this has to happen. We are attending to all this,” she said at a press meet at the Air Force Station in Bengaluru. She alleged that it was the UPA regime that had failed HAL by not finalising the Rafale deal during its tenure.
She accused the opposition Congress of suggesting corruption and crony capitalism in the Narendra Modi government’s decision to go in for direct purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft from Dassault Aviation on the basis of half-truths and falsehood.
The NDA government has helped HAL by increasing the production capacity of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas) from eight per year to 16 per year, she said.
“From the time this government has come under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi we have ensured and seen what is holding back HAL and what is troubling HAL production of Tejas and I am glad to tell you from the annual number of eight we have given assistance to raise it to 16 a year,’’ she said. HAL has been provided Rs 20,000 crore to increase its production facilities by the NDA government, she added.