Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Replacing the flying coffin - another funding source

There are around 30 million people of Indian origin around the world. Assuming that even if a third of these are first or second generation "NRIs" with an active interest in what goes on back
"home", there's a population of 10 million people that is resource and knowledge rich and can be tapped for a cause!

In fact after the 2001 Gujarat earthquake when President Clinton asked Prime Minister Vajpayee how he could help, the PM asked the President to mobilize the Indian-American population. Clinton then helped launch the American India Foundation(AIF). This organization later raised millions of dollars for the earthquake victims.

If the government is balking at the very idea of the Mig-21 replacement program because of financing issues, there is no reason why this population can not be tapped through a bond issue. It does not have to be charity, it could be a cess on resident Indian's tax bills, or it could be a bond for NRIs.

Assuming a reasonable coupon rate of 8-10%, and further assuming a face value of USD 1000, the NRIs of the world can help finance the entire purchase of 126 generation four fighter aircraft! The government can then repaay the money with the increasing tax revenues from a booming economy.

3 comments:

P said...

Hi, I am the sister of late Flt Lt Manu Akhouri. We lost Manu in the MIG 21 crash at Bhatinda on 10th Sept 2009. Wanted to know if you are still following up on MIG 21. Your blogs drew my attention.

Thanks
Pragya

parallel_universe said...

pragya..so sorry for your loss.

heres what i think about this:

i am totally sick of this. the IAF has to stop carrying out its stupid investigations after each crash (their media response to every crash). Why does the IAF have the highest aircraft crash rate in the world. If its the pilots, train them better. But why is it he MIG 21 keeps crashing. They need jet trainers for the pilots to gain experience with. Secondly, the mig is a flying coffin. Instead of blaming the pilots and carrying out stupd investigations why does the government and IAF DO SOMETHING, retire this old death machine. Our pilots put their lives on the line and are ready to fight for their country and die for it - but not like this. This is not right. Its our government and IAF thats killing our young pilots, not enemy missiles! It almost feels like murder. IM SICK OF THIS. This is one of the reasons im too scared to join the IAF. Because i know new pilots are likely to fly the Mig-21 as their first jet. If theyre lucky enough to survive then they can fly the safer jets.

anyway, keep spreading the word. thank you for making this blog. we need more people to be aware of this issue.

Treeconica said...

I heard a song by Lobo today on the radio and instantly searched for Swapnil on the net and found this... It's sad to have lost him so young.

Treeconica Sharma