NEW DELHI--India will not receive its first Rafale fighter jet from France's Dassault Aviation for up to two and a half years and tricky issues including pricing must still be worked out, India's defence minister said on Saturday.
Manohar Parrikar's comments came a day after India ordered 36 ready-to-fly Rafale fighters to modernise an ageing fleet apace with neighbours China and arch-rival Pakistan, which are fast upgrading military hardware.
While the order is meant to be delivered as soon as possible, terms and conditions of the deal - estimated at about 4 billion euros ($4.25 billion) - have yet to be worked out, the minister said.
"It may take two to two-and-a-half years to get the first plane," Parrikar told reporters. "Fly-away means not tomorrow, it has to be designed as per India's need, plus there is a requirement of working out the price."
India and France have negotiated for Rafale fighters fort hree years. A 2012 agreement to buy 126 jets stalled over cost and a dispute over the assembly of 108 aircraft in India.
A French Defence Ministry source said on Friday the new deal announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Paris was separate from the original negotiations.
Indian military officials have warned their air force risks falling behind without new foreign warplanes or if local contractors cannot meet the military's needs in a timely manner.
REUTERS
