Airforce

US, India to sign $8 billion defence deals: envoy

New Delhi: US companies are poised to sign defence deals totalling $8 billion with India, US Ambassador Nancy Powell said on Friday at her first public speech since arriving in New Delhi this month.

Powell did not specify which companies she was talking about or when the deals would be signed, but embassy officials said she was referring to negotiations that include about a dozen Apache helicopters along with engines for Indian jets.

"We are poised to sign an additional $8 billion in direct commercial and foreign military sales," Powell said. "As we share more common equipment, our bilateral defence ties will become stronger."

India is the world's largest arms importer and plans to spend close to about $100 billion over the next 10 years to upgrade its largely Soviet-era equipment....more

06:00 PM, Apr 27, 2012

Former Air Chief Lafontaine passes away

by Press Trust Of India

Hyderabad: Retired Air Chief Marshal Denis Anthony Lafontaine, who played a key role in Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971, died of heart attack on Wednesday at his residence in Medak district of Andhra Pradesh. He was 82 and is survived by his wife and three daughters. Lafontaine served as Air Chief Marshal between 1985 and 1988. He was born in Chennai on September 17, 1929. His grandfathers as well...

06:53 PM, Apr 06, 2011

IAF objects to construction near Palam air base

by Press Trust Of India

New Delhi: Air Force has raised objection to construction of some multi-storey buildings, including hotels, near its Palam base here as these are seen as a security risk. As part of the Aero City project, at least 14 five-star hotels and other buildings are being constructed near the Indira Gandhi International Airport, which is too close to the Aviation Research Centre (ARC) of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), officials said....

06:37 PM, Feb 03, 2011