Bangalore, Nov 12: Defence minister George Fernandes today indicated that India was close to clinching a deal with British aerospace for the hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) and denied that government was considering another proposal. Asked if government had finalised the hawk deal, Fernandes told reporters here that there was a note which had been readied for consideration by Cabinet Committee on Security and added that he can't say as to how soon the deal would be signed. Asked if government was also looking at the Czech-US offering of l-159 AJT, the Defence Minister said, "We are not looking at any."
Earlier, he remarked that further delay on inking the AJT deal would mean that Indian Air Force would end up being the loser. Longer the time India took to decide on AJT, more would be on the scene (with offer of AJTs). "At the end of it all, the loser will be Indian Air Force," he said.
Noting that India was in the market looking for AJTs for many years now, Fernandes said that the proposal was there before he got into the defence ministry. "I only hope that it (AJT deal) does not survive me," he joked.
The AJT deal for 66 numbers, according to reports, is now worth Rs 3,000 crore.
Bureau Report