It's Final: #MMRCA Dead, Rafales Coming

After a decade of speculation, intrigue, a generous measure of behind-the-scenes drama, finally some ironic clarity on the 'mother of all deals', India's massive combat jet acquisition effort, the M-MRCA. After committing to purchase 36 flyaway Rafales from Dassault last week, the Indian government today made it supremely clear that the M-MRCA process is effectively dead after careening earthward in a death spiral for over three years.

In a series of tweets today, MoD spokesperson Sitanshu Kar quoted Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on the MMRCA:
#MMRCA A car can not run on two paths simultaneoulsy: Defence Minister @manoharparrikar talking about the status of the existing RfP.
— Sitanshu Kar (@SpokespersonMoD) April 13, 2015

#MMRCA Negotiation under the existing RfP had 'gone into a loop with no solution in sight': Defence Minister @manoharparrikar
— Sitanshu Kar (@SpokespersonMoD) April 13, 2015

#MMRCA G-2-G route better than the RfP path for acquisition of strategic platforms: Defence Minister Manohar @manoharparrikar
— Sitanshu Kar (@SpokespersonMoD) April 13, 2015

#MMRCA 36 Rafale fighter aircraft to be acquired in fly away condition thru a separate G-2-G negotiation: Defence Minister @manoharparrikar
— Sitanshu Kar (@SpokespersonMoD) April 13, 2015
Interestingly, Parrikar has also said "future Rafale deals will also be government to government", a seeming contradiction of the India-France joint statement last week that spoke of the separate MMRCA process.

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