Saab is in talks with the Indian government over a potential sale of the company's JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft to meet the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) future air combat capability requirements, a senior official from the Swedish defence and security group has told IHS Jane's. Ulf Nilsson, senior vice president and head of aeronautics within Saab, said on 22 December that in an ongoing "marketing dialogue" Saab is outlining what it can offer India while learning more about the scope of the IAF requirement. The process is made easier by Saab's previous bid to supply the Gripen to meet the IAF's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) programme. Although France's Dassault Rafale fighter was selected to meet the MMRCA requirement, the programme was eventually scrapped following prolonged negotiations. India then decided earlier in 2015 to purchase 36 Rafale fighters in a fly-away condition.
展开▼
