Insta
Airbus Now Sole Contender For Supplying Twin-Engine Choppers To Indian Coast Guard As Russia Pulls Out Of $1 Billion Contest
Swarajya Staff
Jan 11, 2022, 02:02 PM | Updated 02:02 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Russia has pulled out of a $1 billion contest for delivery of twin-engine helicopters to the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
Russia's withdrawal from the contest has left European firm Airbus as the the sole vendor for the procurement process as there was no participation from US side.
The ICG requires about 14 new helicopters for surveillance tasks as well as several offshore security-related activities, reports Economic Times.
The ICG's previous attempts to procure the choppers have not worked out due to technical and commercial reasons.
The Coast Guard's last such attempt in 2018 failed after the contest was withdrawn amid allegations of leak of confidential documents.
The ongoing competition kicked off with Russia and Airbus offering their Kamov KA 32A11M and H225M helicopters respectively.
US’ apprehension from getting into this contest has surprised many given that its Sikorsky S92 fulfilled all the technical requirements in the tests that were conducted way back in 2018.
On the other hand, the Italian Leonardo Group, which was another possible contender, also couldn’t take part in this process as it was on the banned list last year, when the process began.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Introducing ElectionsHQ + 50 Ground Reports Project
The 2024 elections might seem easy to guess, but there are some important questions that shouldn't be missed.
Do freebies still sway voters? Do people prioritise infrastructure when voting? How will Punjab vote?
The answers to these questions provide great insights into where we, as a country, are headed in the years to come.
Swarajya is starting a project with an aim to do 50 solid ground stories and a smart commentary service on WhatsApp, a one-of-a-kind. We'd love your support during this election season.
Click below to contribute.