Sri Krishna
A top Qatari delegation is in New Delhi to discuss selling 12 lightly used Mirage 2000 jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF), as reported by The Economic Times. This potential deal is crucial for the IAF, which is phasing out older MiG fighters and needs to strengthen its fleet.
Sources told ET that these Qatari Mirages, upgraded to the latest standards, would boost the capabilities of the IAF’s current Mirage squadrons. Although the Mirage 2000 is no longer produced, it has been a reliable part of the IAF’s force and should continue to serve for another decade.
The final cost of the deal will be decided after checking the jets’ remaining life, estimated to be between Rs 6,000 and 7,000 crore. Reports suggest these jets still have a lot of life left, which will help keep the existing squadrons strong for years to come.
The deal includes the jets, weapons, and spare parts. India plans to negotiate hard for a good price. The transition of these jets into the IAF should be easy, as the Gwalior Air Base already has the necessary equipment, facilities, and trained personnel.
The IAF has previously used Mirage jets for precise attack missions due to their reliability and accuracy, notably in the 2019 strikes on terrorist camps in Balakot. The IAF is currently short on combat aircraft, made worse by delays in replacing old MiG-21s. While 36 Rafale jets have been purchased, the IAF originally needed 126 to meet its operational demands.
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