Bangalore. 17 June 2016. On his trip to Bangalore to witness the inaugural flight of HTT40 the indigenous trainer aircraft made by HAL, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar spoke on the sidelines to the media. Some points from this conversation are given below.
- “The government had taken a very conscious decision about 4-5 months ago that 10 per cent of the missile capacity will be permitted to be exported if producers manage to get export orders subject to parameters set by the Union Government and External Affairs Ministry.”
- “Vietnam had expressed interest in the Brahmos Missile and a group would be set up to discuss about their requirement and export from India.”
- “Discussion between both sides(India & France) had concluded and we are waiting for a report from the Indian team which had held negotiations on Rafale deal. May be next week I should receive their report, once the report is received, the Ministry will analyse it and then it will go to the government”.
- The LCA squadron should be formed by July. These are replacements for MiG-27… next year I think two MiG-21 squadrons are being decommissioned; this will go into initially replacing them. They (LCA) are ten times better than the MiGs which are old and parts are difficult to get.”
- “We are on the final stages of agreeing to aircraft carrier technology as a part of DTTI. The engine, there is reservation, because the percentage of TOT (transfer of technology) transfer is not to our liking, so we are discussing about it. There are many more projects which are there.”
- “Aero India air show will be held next year in Bengaluru.”
- “More encounters means — we are neutralising more, our intelligence has increased, our counter terrorist network is now tightening up.If you see the ratio of security forces martyrdom… To terrorists deaths (it) is now in the favour of the security forces at the rate of 1:4.3/4.4. The number of terrorists’ neutralised was more than 50 now, whereas only 12 security forces personnel had lost their lives.”
