A US Air Force staffer covers his ears as a fighter jet takes off at the aero show on Friday. (AP)

Bangalore, Feb. 9: The Indian Air Force is “navigating through tricky waters” to negotiate its procurements because many vendors bidding for its order are also supplying to potential adversaries.

Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi said here yesterday that “we are keeping an eye on what they are sending across the borders”. The chief of air staff is at Aero India 2007 where major global companies, vying for IAF orders that could run to more than $8 billion, are demonstrating their aircraft and equipment.

Among these companies are Lockheed Martin and Boeing — who are also supplying or negotiating military equipment transfers to Pakistan — and India’s traditional supplier, the Russians. Even with the Russians, India has brought up a contentious issue.

The Chinese were proposing to transfer Russian-made RD 33 engines (used in the IAF’s own MiG 29 fighter aircraft) to Pakistan. Tyagi said the Russians have given an assurance that the transfers would not be allowed.

The air chief marshal said the IAF is on the verge of contracting for 40 Sukhoi 30 MKI aircraft by March. An agreement was reached during Russian defence minister Sergei Ivanov’s visit to New Delhi last month. Each aircraft will be contracted for about $40 million.

The Sukhois are being contracted fast-track because the IAF had last year projected an unacceptable shortfall in its strength of combat squadrons.

Among other aircraft likely to be inducted into the IAF over the next two years are 80 medium lift helicopters (Mi 17s) from Russia, 12 VIP helicopters for which the EH 101 and the Sikorsky 92 are vying, 10 Cheetah choppers (from Hindustan Aeronautics) and six IL-78 refuellers (from Russia). The British Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers are to begin deliveries to the IAF in September this year.

Tyagi said the IAF was looking to buy six C-130 Hercules transport aircraft (Lockheed Martin) for the special forces. The negotiations are going on. “The price has to be right and it should be able to do what we want it to do,” he added.

Tyagi also said the IAF was against splitting up the order for 126 multirole combat aircraft. The air force is already contending with a diverse inventory and the 126 aircraft have to be of the same type from a single supplier.