As India and France negotiate the final agreement for the direct purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Paris recently, the Thales group of France, a partner in the Rafale deal, is in talks with India for supply of its Damocles multi-function targeting pods for the Mirage 2000 fighters and potentially for the Rafale jets.
“Talks with India are at an advanced stage,” a senior Thales official told The Hindu last week without specifying the details. India has contracted Dassault for the upgrade of its Mirage 2000 jets and the first two upgraded fighters had been handed over to the Indian Air Force recently.
Targeting pods facilitate high-resolution imaging, targeting and weapons guidance in all weather conditions during day and night. The Indian Air Force currently employs Israeli-built targeting pods on its frontline fighters.
The Damocles pods, which are known for its high stability and flexibility and are currently in service in several countries in Asia, can be integrated into India’s Sukhoi-30 aircraft, the official said.
Make in IndiaThe joint venture formed by Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) and Thales for manufacturing civil and military radars has started production for the Air Force. BEL holds a 74 per cent stake in the joint venture, which was announced in 2012.
Showcasing the assembly of ground radars for shipment, Peter Terpstra of Thales Air Systems said, “The radars would eventually be fully manufactured in India except for a few components” showing Thales’s commitment for the “Make in India” initiative.
