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| Tejas (LCA) Light Combat Aircraft (File Photo) |
By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI
BANGALORE, India — The economic slowdown will force India to tighten its belt on defense spending, Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony indicated while inaugurating the Aero India 2013 air show at Bangalore, but he added there will be no cuts to priority programs.
India spends about $38.6 billion annually on defense compared with around $91 billion spent by neighboring China, and further reductions could increase the gap in defense capabilities, an Indian Air Force official said.
No announcement will be made at the show, the ninth Aero India, on the finalization of the $11 billion Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program, Antony said, as there are at least six more stages left in the negotiations with Dassault over procurement of the Rafale fighter. While Antony did not provide details about these stages, he said that after the negotiations, the matter will go to the Finance Ministry and then the Cabinet Committee of Security.
But Antony added, “there will be no delay from our side.”
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