Airbus could miss out as India’s air refueller saga drags on
HAL has emerged as a potential dark horse in the race for converting six preowned B-767s into aerial refuellers. (Photo: IAI)
Amid heightened demand for aerial refuelling capabilities in India, Airbus Defence faces a potential setback in securing defence contracts in the country due to escalating costs and concerns over trust.
Airbus Defence could jeopardise its prospects of winning India’s yet-to-be-released bid for six preowned aerial tankers despite having been among the favourites for the A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT).
A recently retired senior Indian Air Force official aware of procurement matters told Shephard that a “lack of trust” from Indian officials could become an issue. The lack of trust would be related to a Request for Proposal (RfP) addressed by Airbus for six preowned Air India A321s. Airbus had committed to a lower cost before the RfP was released but the costs significantly escalated after the RfP was
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