The Medium Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) tender of the Indian Air Force (IAF), which has been eagerly anticipated and is intended to acquire 114 advanced fighter planes, is faced with a fresh obstacle. It is anticipated that local production costs will exceed direct procurement costs by $20–30 million every aircraft. A major component of the Make in India program, manufacturing jets locally will incur far greater costs than buying them straight from the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The Dassault Rafale, the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block III, the Eurofighter Typhoon, and the Russian MiG-35 are all twin-engine candidates in the MRFA tender. Two single-engine alternatives—the Lockheed Martin F-16 Block V (advertised as the F-21) and Saab’s Gripen-E—are also available. Although each of the six fighters has advanced features, the increased expenses associated with establishing local production lines, constructing specialized infrastructure, and educating a local workforce will considerably raise the ultimate cost per unit above that of direct OEM acquisitions.
