Guyana’s Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has clarified that the country is exploring the purchase of Indian Military aircraft for civilian use, not for “fighting wars with neighbouring countries”.
The Indian military aircraft being considered are primarily to improve transportation services to remote hinterland communities and reduce the cost of living by making the transportation of goods cheaper.
The Vice President noted that government is also considering the purchase of water vessels that would help exercise sovereignty over Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone and enable the country to effectively police its waters by combatting illegal fishing and drug trafficking.
“We’re exploring the purchase of these aircraft and vessels, which are being used by the Indian military,” the VP stated.
“Some of the aircraft that they have in their military are suited for that purpose. We sought to get something similar to the sky-van, but you know the production of those was discontinued. So, we’re told that these military aircraft can operate on short runways and they can carry a lot of cargo.”
The Vice President further emphasized that no purchases have been made yet, and the government is assessing the specifications, pricing, and other offers on the table before making a decision.
