The Ministry of Defence today issued a tender worth around Rs 1 lakh crore for the acquisition of 60 multirole transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force.The tender has been issued to multiple Indian companies, including Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Tata and Mahindra, which will take the lead role in partnering foreign aircraft manufacturers. The foreign partner will be required to bring in technology as part of the programme.Known as the Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme, the acquisition aims to replace the IAF’s ageing fleet of Soviet-origin AN-32 aircraft, which have been in service for around three decades. One such aircraft crashed in June this year, killing all five personnel on board.The Ministry of Defence has issued a formal Request for Proposal (RFP), seeking commercial bids and details of the technology transfer being offered. The RFP process will be followed by field trials, cost negotiations and, eventually, contract signing.Three foreign manufacturers are in the fray. Airbus has offered its A400M aircraft and already manufactures the C-295 transport aircraft in India in partnership with Tata. US-based Lockheed Martin, which supplied C-130J aircraft to the IAF, is also a contender and has a local manufacturing facility in partnership with Tata. Brazilian aerospace major Embraer has offered the C-390 Millennium and has partnered Mahindra Defence Systems.The technical requirements for the MTA have been defined keeping in mind operational gaps identified during high-altitude deployments along the borders in 2020 and the need to rapidly move troops and equipment. India is seeking a versatile, all-weather tactical airlifter that can bridge the capability gap between lighter transport aircraft such as the C-295, which can carry a payload of around 9-12 tonnes, and the C-17 heavy-lift aircraft, which can carry up to 70 tonnes.The IAF wants the MTA to carry a payload of between 18 and 30 tonnes. Its cargo bay should be capable of accommodating light armoured vehicles and tanks such as the indigenous 25-tonne Zorawar light tank, 155-mm M777 ultra-light howitzers, BrahMos missile canisters and Akash air-defence system launcher units.The aircraft will also be required to support logistics operations along the northern and eastern borders, including Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. A key requirement is the ability to operate from short, unprepared runways.India is also seeking an aircraft capable of low-altitude operations and equipped with specialised night-navigation systems for covert insertion and extraction of troops.Under the procurement framework, 12 aircraft will initially be imported in flyaway condition, while the remaining 48 will be manufactured and assembled in India through a joint venture between the foreign manufacturer and an Indian company.The local content is expected to progressively exceed 50 per cent and cover structural components, wiring harnesses, sheet-metal assemblies, avionics racks and software integration.For future upgrades, India is seeking an “open architecture” that would allow the integration of indigenous software, tactical data links and mission computers without requiring the manufacturer’s permission for subsequent upgrades.The foreign vendor will also be required to establish a comprehensive domestic Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hub in India, including facilities for lifetime maintenance and engine overhauls.