791.5 MSP/8–2952: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in India 1
622. Further to Deptels 337 Aug 2 and 18 July 2.2 In response his inquiry Indian Emb Air Attaché informed by Dept Aug 27 re 1954 and 1955–56 availabilities and costs Indian request Apr 18 for 54 C–119 Fairchild mil transport aircraft (fully equipped). Grand total $48,243,644.
Wing Commander Varma stated just recd new instr reducing nr such aircraft required 1954–55 from 26 to 14 and 1955–56 from 28 to 12; another total 26 wld be requested for 1956–57 and 1957–58. Net result change is reduction total nr by 2 planes spread over longer period. Further Dept action awaits formal note with details.3
Problem posed by such requests mil procurement explained along lines Byroade statement to Sen para 2 Deptel 337. Varma replied Indian air force possessed 2 squadrons of transport aircraft strength 14 planes plus 2 reserve, total 16 each. These formed Dec 1950 and still not up to full strength with only about 9 planes each. GOI endeavoring cannibalize old C–47s and might be able add several more but useful life not more than 3 or 4 more years. Present Indian request therefore entirely for gradual replacement existing mil transport strength. Orders must be placed now since training and change over take time. CAB had now decided spread out procurement presumably in order ease dollar drain; thus one squadron might be changed over first and other possibly disbanded, to be reformed later.
Revised request when recd will be forwarded to Defense and sched dollar payments set up.
Re jets Varma confirmed GOI not pressing but explained 200 requested was also not new addition as they viewed it, but in accordance with long range Indian program although only 37 Vampires now on hand and some of these possibly gone. Indian air force wld have liked to stick to Vampires some of which cld have been built on Indian mfrd frames with UK engines but UK cld not promise deliveries. Too expensive maintain various types therefore decision reequip with type they cld stick to for years to come.
- This telegram was drafted by William Witman II, Officer in Charge, India–Nepal–Ceylon Affairs, and was signed by Kennedy of SOA.↩
- Neither printed; Department telegram 18 to New Delhi is in Department of State file 791.5 MSP/7–152. For information on telegram 337, see footnote 1 to telegram 639, Aug. 13, p. 1660.↩
- Wing Commander Varma’s note to the Department which embodied these changes was dated Sept. 2. The text is in Department of State file 791.5 MSP/9252.↩