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Instead, in 2007, the Congress-run government initiated the process to develop Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA). Six vendors were shortlisted – Russian Aircraft Corporation, the
Swedish aerospace company Saab, France’s Dassault Aviation SA, the US’s Lockheed Martin Corporation and Boeing, and a consortium of British, German, Spanish and Italian firms. The first 18
aircraft were to be sold in 'fly-away' condition while the remaining 108 were to be manufactured under transfer-of-technology agreements. In April 2018, Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, side-stepping a three-year negotiation for the MRCA tender, announced the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft after a deal struck directly with the French government. Later, in July
2018, then defence minister Manohar Parrikar informed Parliament that the Centre had withdrawn a multi-billion dollar tender for 126 MRCA fighter jets. This has led to a high-decibel
controversy, with the Congress, currently in Opposition, accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of non-transparency and calling the deal "one of the biggest failures” of the
'Make-in-India' programme. “Rafale jets, which are more sophisticated and high-end, are honestly not the aeroplanes to replace the MiG-21,” Singh told IndiaSpend, “We need jets
that are smaller, lighter and cheaper fighters for the frontline.”
