Despite of opposition from the Left officials from US are already in New Delhi to lobby for the Logistic Support Agreement (LSA) through which US will be able to utilize Indian ports and air bases for its naval fleets and fighters.
Mr. Gates will also lobby for purchase of fighter aircraft by India for which proposals have been invited by the ministry of defense. The Americans are among the six suppliers who have been requested to submit proposals to sell 126 multi-role combat aircraft. The bidders have time till March 3, 2008, to send their responses. That will be followed by a technical evaluation of the bids, operational trials, opening of the bids, short-listing and price negotiations and finally the contract. The value of the aircraft will be reached after considering factors such as transfer of-technology spares, warranty expenditure on training and operation and license royalty. The Government decided on such a model because the Indian armed forces have found their older equipment expensive in the long run, especially since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The aircrafts can be categories as
1. Single-engine
2. Twin-engine.

The IAF decided not to categories the aircraft on the number of engines they carry but on their capabilities. The tender says that 18 aircraft would be bought in flyaway condition. The other 108 would be co-produced or license-produced in India after transfer of technology. Before price negotiations, the aircraft would be evaluated on parameters like air defense, radii of turn; rate of climb and descent, offensive capability, precision navi-gation systems, ground-attack power: ability to seek attack and destroy bunkers, bridges and terror camps, reconnaissance and surveillance, maritime strike role. 

In combat aircraft capability the USA is a leader, followed by Russia, the European consortium of the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, France, Sweden and China. India too has entered the field of fighter production but the capability emanates more from joint ventures and less out of indigenous tradition.

For India, the choice has widened further with the twin engine Euro fighter Typhoon also on voluntary offer list. The sale of fighters for the salesmen is faced with reduced customers and the corruption corridor of the consumer’s cash box. India is being wooed by six sellers being offered incentives, and other allurements. Political and diplomatic pressure is at the highest levels, and middlemen are actively canvassing sup in different forms, including bribe and trying to gain media support for their hardware. The US President, George Bush, is personally interacting with the government of India, and he had spoken to the PM about his preferences. The Indian has to opt for hi-tech multi role fighter with technology transfer. Though there is pressure from the US government but factors like condition of supply of 80 fighters by 2010, share of Russia in it etc. has to be considered in having the beauty of combat fighter aircrafts.