Kolkata, Sept 05: India will be in a position to export Light Combat Aircraft (LAC) to friendly countries within the next four to five years, Defence Minister George Fernandes said today. "I look forward to sending LCAs to friendly countries. I am looking at a global market. I expect to do this within the next four or five years," Fernandes told reporters here.

He said that the first lot of Advanced Jet Trainers were expected to reach the country within the next three years. "Training of pilots, however, would begin as soon as the export contract is signed," the minister added.

The country's first indigenous aircraft carrier had just been designed by defence engineers and scientists and its production process will begin soon, he said, but did not give any time-frame for its commissioning. "It takes a long time to build an aircraft carrier, but I can tell you it will not take very long," he said. Stating that the government had decided to upgrade the 'ghatak' platoon, he said, "they are essentially a special force. They will be given the most modern weaponry. They will also get exclusive training."

To a question, the minister denied that the Indo-US joint military exercise was being conducted for political reasons.

"In the past, we have held such exercises with some Asian countries. We have also done it with European countries. Now we are doing it with the US. Such exercises are carried out so that countries get to know the areas of strength and weaknesses of its military. There is no political reason for such exercises," he said. Bureau Report