Jet-Lagged!

The Rafale deal was meant to make Indias squadrons leaner and meaner. Instead, it will now add to the Air Forces worries

- Pradip R. Sagar And R. Prasannan

As the dogfight over the Rafale fighter deal rages across the political skies, worry lines are appearing over the security horizons. China and Pakistan are “not sitting idle”, Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa recently told a gathering of strategists and aviation experts at the Centre for Air Power Studies in Delhi. “We do not have the numbers, with fighter squadrons down to 31 from the sanctioned 42,” said the Indian Air Force chief.

The irony is that even the government’s ‘emergency’ acquisition of 36 Rafales is not going to improve the situation. If the Air Force retires the rickety old MiG27s and the older but refurbished MiG-21 Bisons, as had been planned, even 36 Rafales are not going to help boost the squadron strength. Rued Air Chief Marshal (retd) Anil Yashwant Tipnis, who had led the Air Force during the Kargil war: “We are fighting over the best price for a fighter jet. But we are not paying attention to what is happening in our neighbourhood—in China and Pakistan.”

Pakistan has only 20 fighter squadrons against India’s 31, but those 20 are packs of sinewy flying wolves—upgraded F-16s and brand-new, Chinese-designed JF-17s—against India’s rickety MiG-21s, obsolete MiG27s, obsolescent Jaguars, a few agile MiG-29s, two squadrons of Mirage-2000s, and 200-odd new Sukhoi-30s. China has 1,700 fighters—including 800 fourth-generation fighters— against India’s 600. Now, with the Rafale deal getting mired in controversies, even the 42 squadrons appear to be a mirage.

Not that 42 would have been enough. “Even when we do have 42 squadrons, we will be below the combined numbers of two of our regional adversaries,” said Tipnis.

Said Air Marshal (retd) M. Matheswaran, who played a key role in bringing out the tender for procuring medium multi-role combat aircraft: “We have reached a precarious situation.