After a delay that made the Indian Air Force jittery, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has accorded formal approval to a deal with Swiss firm Pilatus for 75 PC-7 Mk.2 basic trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The PC-7 won out in a competition that has taken two years, defeating two rivals in the final round—the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KT-1 and the American Hawker-Beechcraft T-6C Texan-II. Defence Minister A.K. Antony informed Parliament recently that a formal protest from runner-up KAI had been found to be "devoid of merit". A formal contract between the Indian Government and Pilatus Aircraft will be signed in the next two months. As per IAF stipulations, deliveries of the brand new trainers will begin 15 months after contract signature, with 24 aircraft to be delivered to the IAF in 25 months. The Pilatus PC-7 is a low wing tandem seat basic propeller trainer, 500 of which have been sold in two variants over the last three decades. India will be the 19th military operator of the aircraft type.

NOTE: We had reported the latest progress on Pilatus deal in detail on 7th of this month.