By IANS,
New Delhi : The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) ambitious plan to modernise 30 air bases, including those along the China border, will kick start this month with the government finalising a Rs.1,094 crore (over $240 million) deal with Tata Power.
The contract, finalised in the middle of March, envisages upgrading the infrastructure of IAF airfields including Tezpur, Chabua and Hashimara in the northeast, close to the China border, a senior IAF officer said here Tuesday.
Tata Power’s Strategic Electronics Division (SED), which won the contract after a protracted legal wrangling, will get 42 months to execute the contract by working at all the air bases simultaneously.
“This contract, won against a global defence tender of the defence ministry, is a watershed moment, not only for us, but also for increasing private sector participation in the Indian defence sector,” said Tata Power SED chief executive officer Rahul Chaudhry.
This would be phase-I of the project called “Modernisation of Air Field Infrastructure” (MAFI), for which India issued tenders in 2007 to global players including Tata Power, French Thales and Italian consortium Finmeccanica’s Selex Sistemi.
“The award of this order signifies recognition of Tata Power SED’s capability to support the Indian defence establishment. Tata Power SED is committed to delivering world-class air fields to the IAF,” said Tata Power managing director Anil Sardana.
The project is being implemented by the IAF to ensure its air fields are capable of handling modern fighter jets and latest military transport aircraft such as C-17s and C-130Js.
When complete, the phase-I of the MAFI will provide the 30 air fields with the latest equipment and aids such as tactical air navigation, integrated landing systems, upgraded communication systems, airfield approach aid systems, digital measuring systems, range navigation aids and modern meteorological facilities.
Under phase-II of the MAFI project, the IAF will upgrade 20 more air fields in about 42 months. The current contract provides an option to the defence ministry to award the phase-II to Tata Power SED at present costs.
The award of contract was delayed after Selex Sistemi filed a case against Tata Power being chosen as the winner of the deal in 2009.