Sensing a lucrative business in India’s multi billion dollar acquisition plans of Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) and LCAs, Boeing furthered its persistence with Delhi, offering to build a 21st century aerospace ecosystem in India, reports Moneycontrol.

As an attempt to allure the top Indian think tanks after the induction of the first batch of heavy lift Chinook helicopters into the Indian Air Force (IAF) and with Apaches AH-64s on their way, Boeing is talking about co-developing F/A-18 Super Hornet as part of India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.

Apart from plugging in the ever widening gaps opened up by the depletion of squadrons of IAF, with the indigenously developing aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant approaching its third and final stage of development, the naval variants of advanced fighter jets are also due to be acquired.

Two American aviation giants -- Lockheed Martin and Boeing are competing to acquire maximum stakes out of Indian AMCA programme.

It may be recalled that Lockheed Martin even went ahead to announce its willingness to shift its production line in Texas to India, to build its, India specific, F-16 IN Viper jets as part of Make in India initiative. As if that was not enough, Lockheed Martin even offered a much more modified F-21 during the recent air show in Bengaluru.

Indian Air Force is in final stages of finalising tender for the supply of 114 jets, with a requirement of 85 per cent of the bulk to be manufactured in India, by the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) stitching strategic partnerships or joint ventures with Indian firms.