India Ministry of Defence Approves Conversion of Six B-767s into Aerial Refuellers by IAI
The Indian Ministry of Defence has approved the conversion of six Boeing B-767 airliners into aerial refuellers by Israel Aerospace Industries, aiming to modernize the Indian Air Force's fleet. Valued at Rs. 9,000 crore ($900 million), the acquisition will involve 30% local manufacturing with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, and deliveries are expected to begin by 2030. This decision follows previous stalled attempts to procure mid-air refuellers due to bureaucratic and budgetary challenges.
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The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has granted an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the acquisition of six Boeing B-767 airliners, which will be converted into aerial refuellers by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). This move aims to replace the Indian Air Force's older Ilyushin Il-78MKIs.
A final contract signing is anticipated by March 2025, with the acquisition valued at Rs. 9,000 crore ($900 million) and involving 30% local manufacturing in partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Deliveries are expected to start by 2030.
The MoD previously issued multiple Requests for Proposal (RFP) for mid-air refuellers, but previous attempts were stalled due to bureaucratic and budgetary issues. The B-767 MMTT will offer multiple configurations for cargo, passengers, and ISR systems, maintaining relevance for the IAF as Boeing continues production until 2027.
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