NEW DELHI – Indian Air Force has the highest rate of the air crashes in theworld, reveals the government data.
Thirty-one aircraft of the Indian Air Force have been involved in accidentsin the last four years, the government informed the Lok Sabha onWednesday. In a written reply to a question, Minister of State for DefenceSubhash Bhamre said 10 accidents had taken place in 2014-15 while thenumber was six in 2015-16 and 10 in 2016-17. The number of accidentsreported in 2017-18 was five, PTI has reported.
“Every aircraft accident in the Indian Air Force is investigated by a Courtof Inquiry (CoI) to ascertain the cause of accident,” Bhamre said. He saidphasing out of the aircraft and their replacement with new generationaircraft depends upon national security, strategic objectives andoperational requirements of the defence forces.
On a question about whether some political experts have asked thegovernment to issue a white paper on the Rafale fighter jet deal, Bhamresaid no such proposal has been received.
The Congress has been attacking the government over the Rafale deal,claiming that the deal negotiated under its rule was much cheaper than thecontract signed by the Modi government to procure 36 Rafale fighter jetsfrom France at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore.ADVERTISEMENT
Replying to a separate question, Bhamre said the government bas sanctionedenhancement of production rate of the indigenously developed Light CombatAircraft Tejas from eight aircraft annually to 16 aircraft.