Greece has offered to sell India its fleet of retired French-made Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets, potentially bolstering the Indian Air Force's existing Mirage capabilities. This offer comes as Greece modernizes its own air force with newer Rafale and F-35 jets.
The offer was reportedly presented by Greece's Chief of the General Staff of the Defense Forces, General Dimitrios Houpis, during a recent visit to India. Greece acquired 15 Mirage 2000-5s in 2000, including both single-seat and two-seat trainer variants.
These Mirage 2000-5s, being relatively young at less than 25 years old, still have an estimated 10-15 years of operational life remaining. India, which already operates a fleet of 50 Mirage 2000-5 fighters, is particularly interested in acquiring two of the Greek trainer jets to enhance pilot training capabilities.
It remains to be seen if the Indian Air Force will acquire the entire fleet of 15 aircraft offered by Greece. The decision will likely depend on a detailed analysis of costs and benefits in relation to India's current fleet and future plans. The IAF aims to keep its Mirage-2000 fleet operational until 2035, when it plans to replace them with the domestically developed Tejas MkII fighter jets.
Greece's offer of Mirage 2000-5s could provide India with a valuable opportunity to expand its fighter jet capabilities and enhance pilot training. The outcome of this potential deal will be of interest to those following developments in both countries' defense strategies.
