title: Amanda Freitag

text: Freitag competed in "The Next Iron Chef" Season 2, finishing in fourth place. Freitag stated she would continue as a judge on "Chopped" for the 2010 season and she returned for the season four episode "Against the Tide".


title: Amanda Freitag

text: On the April 15, 2012 episode of "Iron Chef America", Freitag appeared alongside "Chopped" Grand Champion Madison Cowan in "Battle: Kale", acting as Cowan's sous chef. She appeared as a contestant on season five of "The Next Iron Chef". She lost to Alexandra Guarnaschelli in the finale on December 23.


title: Amanda Freitag

text: On May 22, 2015, she and Ty Pennington began hosting the new Food Network series "American Diner Revival", on which they make over diners' menus and interiors.


title: Slipper lobster

text: Slipper lobsters are a family (Scyllaridae) of about 90 species of achelate crustaceans, in the Decapoda clade Reptantia, found in all warm oceans and seas. They are not true lobsters, but are more closely related to spiny lobsters and furry lobsters. Slipper lobsters are instantly recognisable by their enlarged antennae, which project forward from the head as wide plates. All the species of slipper lobsters are edible, and some, such as the Moreton Bay bug and the Balmain bug ("Ibacus peronii") are of commercial importance.


title: Slipper lobster

text: Slipper lobsters have six segments in their heads and eight segments in the thorax, which are collectively covered in a thick carapace. The six segments of the abdomen each bear a pair of pleopods, while the thoracic appendages are either walking legs or maxillipeds. The head segments bear various mouthparts and two pairs of antennae. The first antennae, or "antennules", are held on a long flexible stalk, and are used for sensing the environment. The second antennae are the slipper lobsters' most conspicuous feature, as they are expanded and flattened into large plates that extend horizontally forward from the animal's head.


title: Slipper lobster

text: There is considerable variation in size among species of slipper lobsters. The Mediterranean species "Scyllarus pygmaeus" is the smallest, growing to a maximum total length of , and rarely more than . The largest species, "Scyllarides haanii", may reach long.


title: Slipper lobster

text: Slipper lobsters are typically bottom dwellers of the continental shelves, found at depths of up to . Slipper lobsters eat a variety of molluscs, including limpets, mussels and oysters, as well as crustaceans, polychaetes and echinoderms. They grow slowly and live to a considerable age. They lack the giant neurones which allow other decapod crustaceans to perform tailflips, and must rely on other means to escape predator attack, such as burial in a substrate and reliance on the heavily armoured exoskeleton.


title: Slipper lobster

text: The most significant predators of slipper lobsters are bony fish, with the grey triggerfish being the most significant predator of "Scyllarides latus" in the Mediterranean Sea.


title: Slipper lobster

text: After hatching out of their eggs, young slipper lobsters pass through around ten instars as phyllosoma larvae — leaf-like, planktonic zoeae. These ten or so stages last the greater part of a year, after which the larva moults into a "nisto" stage that lasts a few weeks. Almost nothing is known about the transition from this stage to the adults, which continue to grow through a series of moults.


title: Slipper lobster

text: Although they are fished for wherever they are found, slipper lobsters have not been the subject of such intense fishery as spiny lobsters or true lobsters. The methods used for catching slipper lobsters varies depending on the species' ecology. Those that prefer soft substrates, such as "Thenus" and "Ibacus", are often caught by trawling, while those that prefer crevices, caves and reefs (including "Scyllarides", "Arctides" and "Parribacus" species) are usually caught by scuba divers.


title: Slipper lobster

text: The global catch of slipper lobsters was reported in 1991 to be . More recently, annual production has been around , the majority of which is production of "Thenus orientalis" in Asia.


title: Slipper lobster

text: A number of common names have been applied to the family Scyllaridae. The most common of these is "slipper lobster", followed by "shovel-nosed lobster" and "locust lobster". "Spanish lobster" is used for members of the genus "Arctides", "mitten lobster" for "Parribacus", and "fan lobster" for "Evibacus" and "Ibacus". In Australia, a number of species are called "bugs" (for example, the Balmain bug and Moreton Bay bug), especially those in the genus "Ibacus". Other names used in Australia include "bay lobster", "blind lobster", "flapjack", "flat lobster", "flying saucer", "gulf lobster", "mudbug", "sandbug", "shovel-nose bug", "shovelnose lobster", "crayfish", "slipper bug" and "squagga". Rarer terms include "flathead lobster" (for "Thenus orientalis") and "bulldozer lobster".


title: Slipper lobster

text: In Greece they may be known as Kolochtypes which roughly translates as 'bum hitter'. Twenty-two genera are recognised, the majority of which were erected in 2002 by Lipke Holthuis for species formerly classified under "Scyllarus":


title: Slipper lobster

text: The fossil record of slipper lobsters extends back 100–120 million years, which is considerably less than that of slipper lobsters' closest relatives, the spiny lobsters. One significant earlier fossil is "Cancrinos claviger", which was described from Upper Jurassic sediments at least , and may represent either an ancestor of modern slipper lobsters, or the sister group to the family Scyllaridae "sensu stricto".


title: French Cochinchina

text: French Cochinchina (sometimes spelled "Cochin-China"; ; , Hán tự: ) was a colony of French Indochina, encompassing the whole region of Lower Cochinchina or Southern Vietnam from 1862 to 1946. The French operated a plantation economy whose primary strategic product was rubber.


title: French Cochinchina

text: After the end of Japanese occupation (1941–45) and the expulsion from Saigon of Communist-led nationalist Viet Minh in 1946, the territory was established by the French as the "Autonomous Republic of Cochinchina", a controversial decision that helped trigger the First Indochina War. In a further move to deny the claims of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam declared in Hanoi by the Viet Minh in 1949, Cochinchina was formally united with Annam and Tonkin in the State of Vietnam within the French Union.


title: French Cochinchina

text: "Nam Kỳ" originated from the reign of Minh Mạng of the Nguyễn dynasty, but became a name associated with the French colonial period and so Vietnamese, especially nationalists, prefer the term "Nam Phần" to refer to Southern Vietnam.


title: French Cochinchina

text: In 1858, under the pretext of protecting the work of French Catholic missionaries, which the imperial Vietnamese Nguyễn dynasty increasingly regarded as a political threat, French Admiral Charles Rigault de Genouilly, with the assistance of Spanish forces from the Philippines, attacked Tourane (present day Da Nang) in Annam. Early in 1859 he followed this up with an attack on Saigon, but as in Tourane was unable to seize territory outside of the defensive perimeter of the city. The Vietnamese Siege of Saigon was not lifted until 1861 when additional French forces were able to advance across the Mekong Delta.


title: French Cochinchina

text: The Vietnamese conceded in 1862 and signed the Treaty of Saigon. This ensured the free practice of the Catholic religion; opened the Mekong Delta (and three ports in the north, in Tonkin) to trade; and ceded to France the provinces of Biên Hòa, Gia Định and Định Tường along with the islands of Poulo Condore. In 1867, French Admiral Pierre de la Grandière forced the Vietnamese to surrender three additional provinces, Châu Đốc, Hà Tiên and Vĩnh Long. With these three additions all of southern Vietnam and the Mekong Delta fell under French control.


title: French Cochinchina

text: In 1871 all the territories ceded to the French in southern Vietnam were incorporated as colony of Cochinchina, with Admiral Dupré as its first governor.


title: French Cochinchina

text: In 1887, the colony became a confederal member of the Union of French Indochina. Unlike the protectorates of Annam (central Vietnam) and Tonkin (northern Vietnam), Cochinchina was ruled directly by the French, both "de jure" and "de facto", and was represented by a deputy in the National Assembly in Paris.


title: French Cochinchina

text: Within Indochina, Cochinchina was the territory with the greatest European presence. At its height, in 1940, it was estimated at 16,550 people, the vast majority living in Saigon.


title: French Cochinchina

text: The French authorities dispossessed Vietnamese landowners and peasants to ensure European control of the expansion of rice and rubber production. The French began rubber production in Cochinchina in 1907 seeking a share of the monopoly profits that the British were earning from their plantations in Malaya. Investment from metropolitan France was encouraged by large land grants allowing for rubber cultivation on an industrial scale. Virgin rainforests in eastern Cochinchina, the highly fertile 'red lands', were cleared for the new export crop.


title: French Cochinchina

text: These developments contributed to the 1916 Cochinchina uprising. Insurgents attempted to storm Saigon central prison, and maintained a prolonged resistance in the Mekong Delta. 51 were hanged.


title: French Cochinchina

text: As they expanded in response to the increased rubber demand after the First World War, the European plantations recruited, as indentured labour, workers from "the overcrowded villages of the Red River Delta in Tonkin and the coastal lowlands of Annam". These migrants, despite "Sûreté" efforts at political screening, brought south the influence of the Communist Party of Nguyen Ai Quoc (Ho Chi Minh), and of other underground nationalist parties (the "Tan Viet" and "Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng"—VNQDD). At the same time, the local peasantry were driven into debt servitude, and into plantation labour, by land and poll taxes. By 1930, 80% of riceland was owned by 25% of landowners, and 57% of the rural population were landless peasants working on large estates. This combination led to widespread and recurring unrest and to strikes. Of these the most significant, leading to armed confrontations, was the refusal of work by labourers Phu Rieng Do, a sprawling 5,500 hectares Michelin rubber plantation in 1930.


title: French Cochinchina

text: In response to rural unrest and to growing labour militancy in Saigon, between 1930 and 1932 the French authorities detained more than 12,000 political prisoners, of whom 88 were guillotined, and almost 7000 sentenced to prison or to hard labour in penal colonies.


title: French Cochinchina

text: In 1936 the formation in France of the Popular Front government led by Leon Blum was accompanied by promises of colonial reform. In Cochinchina the new governor-general of Indochina Jules Brévié, sought to defuse the tense and expectant political situation by amnestying political prisoners, and by easing restrictions on the press, political parties, and trade unions.


title: French Cochinchina

text: Saigon witnessed further unrest culminating in the summer of 1937 in general dock and transport strikes. In April of that year the Communist Party and their Trotskyist left opposition ran a common slate for the municipal elections with both their respective leaders Nguyễn Văn Tạo and Tạ Thu Thâu winning seats. The exceptional anti-colonial unity of the left, however, was split by the lengthening shadow of the Moscow Trials and by growing protest over the failure of the Communist-supported Popular Front to deliver constitutional reform. Colonial Minister Marius Moutet, a Socialist commented that he had sought "a wide consultation with all elements of the popular [will]," but with "Trotskyist-Communists intervening in the villages to menace and intimidate the peasant part of the population, taking all authority from the public officials," the necessary "formula" had not been found.


title: French Cochinchina

text: In April 1939 Cochinchina Council elections Tạ Thu Thâu led a "Workers' and Peasants' Slate" into victory over both the moderate Constitutionalists and the Communists' Democratic Front. Key to their success was popular opposition to the war taxes ("national defence levy") that the Communist Party, in the spirit of Franco-Soviet accord, had felt obliged to support. Brévié set the election results aside and wrote to Colonial Minister Georges Mandel: "the Trotskyists under the leadership of Ta Thu Thau, want to take advantage of a possible war in order to win total liberation." The Stalinists, on the other hand, are "following the position of the Communist Party in France" and "will thus be loyal if war breaks out."


title: French Cochinchina

text: With the Hitler-Stalin Pact of 23 August 1939, the local Communists were ordered by Moscow to return to direct confrontation with the French. Under the slogan "Land to the Tillers, Freedom for the workers and independence for Vietnam", in November 1940 the Party in Cochinchina instigated a widespread insurrection. The revolt did not penetrate Saigon (an attempted uprising in the city was quelled in a day). In the Mekong Delta fighting continued until the end of the year.


title: French Cochinchina

text: After a brief cross-border confrontation with French forces in September 1940, Japanese forces occupied Tonkin. On 9 December 1940, an agreement was reached with the Vichy government whereby French sovereignty over its army and administrative affairs was confirmed, while Japanese forces were free to fight the war against the Allies from Indochinese soil. A large scale movement of troops did not occur until after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in late June 1941. With the Soviets tied down, the high command concluded that a "strike south" would solve the problems posed for Japan by the American-led oil embargo. To prepare for an invasion of the oil-rich Dutch East Indies, some 140,000 Japanese troops occupied southern French Indochina on 28 July 1941.


title: French Cochinchina

text: French troops and the civil administration were allowed to remain, albeit under Japanese supervision. While the Japanese government’s policy of “maintaining peace” in Indochina limited interactions between the Japanese and Vietnamese, the contradiction of mutual coexistence between France, as the “missionary of civilization,” and Japan, as the “liberator of Asia” from Western colonialism, could not be concealed. The tensions contributed to nationalist, anti-colonial feeling. Drawing on the local Coadaist sect, the Japanese began to encourage nationalist groups in Cohinchina from 1943.


title: French Cochinchina

text: Following the liberation of Paris in 1944, Japan increasingly suspected that the French authorities would assist Allied operations. In March 1945, a Japanese coup d'état in French Indochina took the Europeans into custody and imposed their direct authority. The coup had, in the words of diplomat Jean Sainteny, "wrecked a colonial enterprise that had been in existence for 80 years." In August 1945, as they faced defeat, the Japanese belatedly created a puppet state, incorporating Cochinchina in the Empire of Vietnam under the nominal authority of the Bảo Đại.


title: French Cochinchina

text: On 2 September 1945, in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and his new Front for the Independence of Vietnam, the Viet Minh, proclaimed the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Already on 24 August the Viet Minh had declared a provisional government (a Southern Administrative Committee) in Saigon. When, for the declared purpose of disarming the Japanese, the Viet-Minh accommodated the landing and strategic positioning of their wartime "democratic allies", the British, rival political groups turned out in force including the syncretic Hoa Hao and Cao Dai sects. On 7 and 8 September 1945, in the delta city of Cần Thơ the Committee had to rely on the "Jeunesse d'Avant-Garde/Thanh Niên Tiền Phong" (Vanguard Youth), who had contributed to civil defence and policing under Japanese. They fired upon crowds demanding arms against the French.


title: French Cochinchina

text: In Saigon, the violence of a French restoration assisted by British and surrendered Japanese troops, triggered a general uprising on 23 September. In the course of what became known as the Southern Resistance War (Nam Bộ kháng chiến) the Viet Minh defeated rival resistance forces, executing their leading cadres, but, by the end of 1945, had been pushed out of Saigon and major urban centres into the countryside.


title: French Cochinchina

text: On 1 June 1946, while the Viet Minh leadership was in France for negotiations, at the initiative of High Commissioner d'Argenlieu and in violation of the 6 March Ho–Sainteny agreement, a local territorial assembly proclaimed an "Autonomous Republic". War between France and the Viet Minh followed (1946–54). Nguyễn Văn Thinh, the first head of its government, died in an apparent suicide in November of the same year. He was succeeded by Lê Văn Hoạch, a member of the caodaist sect. In 1947, Nguyễn Văn Xuân replaced Lê and renamed the "Provisional Government of the Autonomous Republic of Cochinchina" as the "Provisional Government of Southern Vietnam", suggesting that his aim was to reunite the whole country.


title: French Cochinchina

text: The next year, the Provisional Central Government of Vietnam was proclaimed with the merger of Annam and Tonkin: Xuân became its Prime minister and left office in Cochichina, where he was replaced by Trần Văn Hữu. Xuân and the French had agreed to reunite Vietnam, but Cochinchina posed a problem because of its ill-defined legal status. The reunification was opposed by the French colonists, who were still influential in the Cochinchinese council, and by Southern Vietnamese autonomists: they delayed the process of reunification by arguing that Cochinchina was still legally a colony – as its new status as a Republic had never been ratified by the French National Assembly – and that any territorial change therefore required the approval of the French parliament. Xuân issued a by-law reuniting Cochinchina with the rest of Vietnam, but it was overruled by the Cochinchinese council.


title: French Cochinchina

text: Cochinchina remained separated from the rest of Vietnam for over a year, while former Emperor Bảo Đại – whom the French wanted to bring back to power as a political alternative to Ho Chi Minh – refused to return to Vietnam and take office as head of state until the country was fully reunited. On 14 March 1949, the French National Assembly voted a law permitting the creation of a Territorial Assembly of Cochinchina. This new Cochinchinese parliament was elected on 10 April 1949, with the Vietnamese representatives then becoming a majority. On 23 April, the Territorial Assembly approved the merger of the Provisional Government of Southern Vietnam with the Provisional Central Government of Vietnam. The decision was in turn approved by the French National Assembly on 20 May, and the merger was effective on 4 June. The State of Vietnam was then be proclaimed, with Bảo Đại as head of state.


title: French Cochinchina

text: Following the French colonial invasion, Vietnamese mandarins withdrew from Cochinchina, forcing the French to adopt a policy of direct rule.


title: French Cochinchina

text: The highest office in the government of French Cochinchina was the Governor of Cochinchina (統督南圻, "Thống đốc Nam Kỳ"), who after 1887 reported directly to the Governor-General of French Indochina. As French Cochinchina was a directly-ruled colony the French colonial apparatus operated at every level of government including at the provincial, district, and communal levels.


title: French Cochinchina

text: Each Cochinchinese province was headed by French official with the title of "Chủ tỉnh" (主省) or "Tỉnh trưởng" (省長), these French officials had similar roles and responsibilities as the equivalent French "Công sứ" (公使) had in the provinces of the Nguyễn dynasty. The provinces of French Cochinchina was further divided into districts known as "Tong" headed by a "Chanh tong", which were further divided into communes known as "xã" (社), which were headed by a "Huong ca". Both the district and commune chiefs were salaried employees of the French colonial administration.


title: French Cochinchina

text: During the early periods of French rule in Cochinchina both French laws and Nguyễn dynasty laws applied and offenders of both faced trial in French courts. Initially French people were tried using French laws and Vietnamese people (then known as "Annamese people") were tried using the Nguyễn dynasty's laws alongside a new set of provisions that the French had introduced for their colonial subjects. The French courts applied their rulings based on the two different legal systems. After their consolidation of power the Nguyễn's laws were completely abolished in French Cochinchina and only French laws applied to everyone in the colony.


title: French Cochinchina

text: On 6 January 1903, the Governor-General of French Indochina Jean Baptiste Paul Beau issued a decree that stated that offences for both French and indigenous laws would go to French courts and that offenders would only be tried against French Cochinchina's penal code. During this period the Governor-General of French Indochina also issued a decree that introduced new laws to fine people for a number of common offences outside of the French penal code.


title: Metagaming

text: Metagame, Hypergame, or game about the game, is an approach to a game that transcends or operates outside of the prescribed rules of the game, uses external factors to affect the game, or goes beyond the supposed limits or environment set by the game.


title: Metagaming

text: "Metagaming" might also refer to a game which functions to create or modify the rules of a sub-game. Thus, we might play a metagame selecting which rules will apply during the play of the game itself.


title: Metagaming

text: The origin of the idea of metagames originally came from the game theory field, with ideas first published in the groundbreaking "Theory of Games and Economic Behavior" by John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern in 1944, though the term itself was not originally used in that work.


title: Metagaming

text: The word can be found being used in the context of playing zero-sum games in a publication by the Mental Health Research Institute in 1956.


title: Metagaming

text: It is claimed that the first known use of the term was in Nigel Howard's book "Paradoxes of Rationality: Theory of Metagames and Political Behavior" published in 1971, where Howard used the term in his analysis of the Cold War political landscape using a variation of the Prisoner's Dilemma., however Howard used the term in "Metagame Analysis in Political Problems" published in 1966. In 1967, the word appeared in a study by Russell Lincoln Ackoff and in the Bulletin of the Operations Research Society of America.


title: Metagaming

text: The term gained more recent use towards game design by Richard Garfield, the creator of "" in a column he wrote for "The Duelist" in 1995. In a 2000 talk at the Game Developers Conference, Garfield expanded on this, defining "metagame" as "how a game interfaces beyond itself", and asserted that this can include "what you bring to a game, what you take away from a game, what happens between games, [and] what happens during a game". Stephanie Boluk and Patrick Lemieux extend and refine Garfield's term to apply to potentially all forms of play and gaming, arguing that video games in particular are not "games" but rather "equipment for making metagames."


title: Metagaming

text: Another game-related use of the term "metagaming" refers to operation on knowledge of the current strategic trends within a game. This usage is common in games that have large, organized play systems or tournament circuits and which feature customized decks of cards, sets of miniatures or other playing pieces for each player. Some examples of this kind of environment are tournament scenes for tabletop or computer collectible card games like "", " " or "Hearthstone", tabletop war-gaming such as "Warhammer 40,000" and "Flames of War", or team-based multiplayer online games such as "Star Conflict", "Dota 2", "League of Legends", and "Team Fortress 2". In some games, such as "Heroes of the Storm", each battleground has a different metagame.


title: Metagaming

text: The metagame in these environments is often affected by new elements added by the game's developers and publishers, such as new card expansions in card games, or adjustments to character abilities in online games. The metagame may also come within player communities as reactions to win over currently-popular strategies, creating ebbs and flows of strategy types over time.


title: Metagaming

text: Recently the term metagame has come to be used by some players to describe an emergent methodology that is a subset of the basic strategy necessary to play the game at a high level. The definitions of this term are varied but can include "pre-game" theory, behavior prediction, or ""ad hoc" strategy" depending on the game being played. An example of this would be in "StarCraft" where a player's previous matches with the same opponent have given them insight into that player's playstyle and may cause them to make certain decisions which would otherwise seem inferior.


title: Metagaming

text: In role-playing games, metagaming is a term often used to describe players' use of assumed characteristics of the game. In particular, metagaming often refers to having an in-game character act on knowledge that the player has access to but the character should not. For example, tricking Medusa to stare at a mirror when the character has never heard of Medusa and would not be aware of her petrifying stare.


title: Metagaming

text: For instance, a player might adjust his character's actions if the player has some foreknowledge of the long-term intentions of the gamemaster, or, more commonly, the gamemaster's tendency to have (or lack) mercy on players whose characters do things that would cause them to fail at their objectives. A player changing how they play the game based on their knowledge of the gamemaster would be metagaming.


title: SmartLynx Airlines

text: SmartLynx Airlines Limited, previously "LatCharter", is a Latvian charter airline based in Mārupe, operating flights on wet lease out (ACMI), holiday charter flights, and ad-hoc passenger charter flights across Europe, Africa and Asia.


title: SmartLynx Airlines

text: The privately owned company started operations in 1993 with a leased Tupolev Tu-134B. In 2001, the Tupolev fleet was replaced with the larger Yakovlev Yak-42 and in 2003, first Airbus A320-200 was inducted into the service on behalf of the airline.


title: SmartLynx Airlines

text: In 2006, Loftleiðir, the aircraft lease arm of Icelandair Group, acquired a majority 55% shareholding in the LatCharter stock, and eventually the whole company.


title: SmartLynx Airlines

text: In 2007, the airline expanded its fleet by adding five more A320-200s and two 767-300s. The aircraft were wet-leased to different airlines around the world. Since then, the ACMI market has been the company's primary focus, having operated for numerous carriers such as Air Malta, SBA Airlines, Finnair, Condor. In 2008, the company was renamed SmartLynx Airlines.


title: SmartLynx Airlines

text: In 2012, the airline was bought from Icelandair in a management buy-out also forming a single aircraft subsidiary Smartlynx Airlines Estonia to serve Estonian tour operators.


title: SmartLynx Airlines

text: In 2016, the company was bought by a Netherlands-based investment fund. In 2019, the airline established a subsidiary in Malta (SmartLynx Malta). SmartLynx Airlines also became a family member of Avia Solutions Group.


title: SmartLynx Airlines

text: In 2020, the airline expanded into air cargo transportation. In 2021, SmartLynx and DHL signed a partnership agreement. The partnership will include two of SmartLynx Malta A321-200s transporting freight and goods on behalf of the Deutsche Post subsidiary. In October 2021, SmartLynx announced the establishment of an in-house line maintenance centre, SmartLynx Technik. In December 2021, the airlines announced plans to open a new office in Vilnius, Lithuania.


title: SmartLynx Airlines

text: In February 2022, SmartLynx Airlines signed an agreement with SMBC Aviation Capital to lease first two Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. In March 2022, SmartLynx announced the introduction of first Airbus A330-300 freighters to its fleet. In 2022, SmartLynx Airlines also celebrated its 30th anniversary.


title: SmartLynx Airlines

text: SmartLynx Training Centre is an approved training organization (ATO) in the Baltic States, providing type rating courses for Airbus A320 family and recurrent training for Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.


title: Ma Mère

text: Ma Mère () is a 2004 erotic drama film written and directed by Christophe Honoré, based on the posthumous 1966 novel of the same name by French author Georges Bataille. The film follows the incestuous relationship between a 17-year-old boy and his attractive, promiscuous, 43-year-old mother. The film stars Isabelle Huppert, Louis Garrel, Emma de Caunes and Joana Preiss.


title: Ma Mère

text: Honoré shot the film on location on the island of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. Its dialogue is almost entirely in French with brief segments in Spanish, German and English. Film distribution company TLA Releasing released "Ma Mère" in France, at the Cannes Film Market, on 13 May 2004.


title: Ma Mère

text: Seventeen-year-old Pierre has recently left a Catholic boarding school to live with his wealthy parents at their villa on the island of Gran Canaria. Pierre's father dies, leaving his mother Hélène to care for him. While in a restaurant, his mother reveals to him that she had been unfaithful to her husband many times with his knowledge and feels no shame about it. She then insists that her son accept her promiscuous ways. Soon after this, Pierre finds a closet full of his father's pornography. His reaction is to furiously masturbate and then to urinate on the magazine pages.


title: Ma Mère

text: Hélène encourages her uninhibited sex partner Réa to have sex with Pierre. She does so in public at Gran Canaria's Yumbo Centrum, a popular shopping and nightlife complex. Hélène looks on longingly as the partially clothed couple copulates with passersby raising no objections.


title: Ma Mère

text: Afterwards, Hélène includes her son in an orgy with her friends, including Hansi. After the orgy, Hélène decides that she must leave her son to travel. While saying goodbye to Pierre, she implies that something taboo has happened between them and that she must leave to prevent it from happening again.


title: Ma Mère

text: Upon Hélène's departure, Hansi enters Pierre's life as a friend. She admits befriending Pierre at Hélène's encouragement but denies receiving a fee from her. Their friendship blossoms into a tender romance and they both fall in love. During their relationship, Hansi reveals that she has participated in sado-masochistic sex many times as a dominatrix with her friend Loulou as the willing masochist. She adds Hélène arranged these encounters as sexual exhibitions for tourists.


title: Ma Mère

text: Hélène returns home with Réa. Upon arriving, she finds her son and Hansi socializing at a bar near the villa. Hélène and Pierre greet each other and chat while gazing into each other's eyes, with Hansi looking on jealously. Hélène invites her son to sleep with her. He agrees.


title: Ma Mère

text: Hélène and Pierre enter the house's wine cellar. Hélène asks her son to cut her abdomen with a razor while he masturbates, and as he climaxes, she slits her own throat. Paramedics take away her body. Pierre says good-bye to his mother before the cremation. He enters the room where she lies in state and masturbates, exclaiming that he does not want to die as she is carried out.


title: Ma Mère

text: "Ma Mère" was rated NC-17 when it was released in the United States. The reason was "strong and aberrant sexual content". For the trailer the film was presented as an NC-17 film while mistakenly defining the rating as "under 17 requires supervision by parent or guardian" (which is the definition of the R rating).


title: Ma Mère

text: An edited R-rated version running ten minutes shorter was released on DVD. The reason for the R rated version was "Strong Aberrant Sexuality, Some Language and Violent Images".


title: Ma Mère

text: Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 14% based on reviews from 43 critics. The site's consensus reads "Pretentious, overly perverse and dull." On Metacritic the film has a score of 35% based on reviews from 19 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".


title: Pata (sword)

text: The pata or patta (Marathi:दांडपट्टा, ) is a sword, originating from the Indian subcontinent, with a gauntlet integrated as a handguard. Often referred to in its native Marathi as a dandpatta, it is commonly called a gauntlet-sword in English.


title: Pata (sword)

text: The pata has a long straight blade ranging in length from 10 to 44 inches. The blades were locally made by native artisans.


title: Pata (sword)

text: The characteristic feature of the pata is its hilt which takes the form of a half-gauntlet, the inside of which is usually padded. The hilt is attached to the blade by decorative arms that extend forward on both sides of the blade.


title: Pata (sword)

text: The Mughals developed a variation with matchlock pistols adjoining the handle. The hilt also has a long cuff which is usually decorated and in older examples inlaid and embellished with gold and silver. The swordsman holds the weapon by gripping a crossbar inside the gauntlet. The cuff is held close to the forearm by another bar or chain.


title: Pata (sword)

text: Created in Medieval India, the pata's use in warfare appears to be mostly restricted to the 17th and 18th century when the Maratha empire came into prominence. It was considered to be a highly effective weapon for infantrymen against heavily armoured cavalry. The Maratha ruler Shivaji and his general Baji Prabhu Deshpande were reputedly trained in the use of the pata. When Mughal Afzal Khan's bodyguard Sayyid Banda attacked Shivaji with swords in the Battle of Pratapgad, Shivaji's bodyguard Jiva Mahala fatally struck him down, cutting off one of Bada Sayyad's hands with a pata.


title: Pata (sword)

text: Recent discovery of Hero stone inscription has pushed back the antiquity of patta sword to 12th century.


title: Pata (sword)

text: The pata is most commonly paired with either a shield or another pata, though it can also be used with a javelin, axe, or belt. The restrictive handle was particularly suited to the stiff-wristed style of South Asian swordsmanship. Despite its shape, the pata is used primarily for cutting rather than thrusting. The extended grip provided by the forearm permits powerful slashes but restricts any thrusts. This can be seen in mardani khel today and in colonial descriptions which describe spinning techniques with dual pata "much like a windmill".


title: Pata (sword)

text: Miniature paintings show that the pata was also wielded by mounted cavalry, which has led some modern collectors to erroneously conclude that the weapon was used for thrusting from horseback. However, the restriction on wrist movement would have made it difficult to dislodge the pata from an opponent's body, and doing so while mounted would most likely cause the swordsmen to fall off their horses. Rather, it is more probable that the pata was used in cut-and-run tactics, characteristic of the Maratha army. Cutting technique was practiced by slicing fruit on the ground like lemons or limes without touching the ground. This was and still is a common method of demonstration, often using a flexible blade to facilitate the trick. It is said that Maratha warriors would swing the pata in circular movement like whirlwind when encircled before they fell, so as to maximize the casualties on the opposition. It was to be effective when two soldiers fought together as pairs.


title: Gregory Abbott

text: Gregory Joel Abbott (born April 2, 1954) is an American singer, musician, composer and producer. Although he continues to record to date, he is best known for his singles in the mid-1980s including his platinum single, "Shake You Down", from his 1986 debut album.


title: Gregory Abbott

text: Abbott was born in Harlem, New York. Abbott's parents were from Venezuela and Antigua. During his early years, Abbott's mother taught him how to play piano and encouraged him to develop vocally. Before his career as a musician, Abbott studied psychology at University of California, Berkeley, and creative writing at Stanford; where he won a Wallace Stegner fellowship. Before becoming a musician, Abbott taught as a professor of English at the University of California, Berkeley.


title: Gregory Abbott

text: One of Abbott's first opportunities in his studio was an album for an independent record label, which gave him the opportunity to do a duet with Whitney Houston. Continuing on, Abbott produced for the group EQ on Atlantic Records. In 1986, Abbott released his first solo album, "Shake You Down". The title track for the album was a success, going platinum and topping the "Billboard" Hot 100. The album's second single, "I Got the Feelin' (It's Over)", reached Number 5 on the R&B chart. On the strength of its singles, the album reached platinum status and earned Abbott several awards.


title: Gregory Abbott

text: Internationally, Abbott has also had success, winning first prize at the Tokyo Music Festival. The title track of his second album, "I'll Prove It to You", which was released in 1988, was featured on a Japanese movie soundtrack. In Belgium, he performed with Princess Stephanie of Monaco. Over the years much of his new music has been released via his own Mojo Man Entertainment label. Abbott has continued with his R&B sound, but he added a Caribbean influence to his 1996 album "One World!" In 2011, an album entitled "Drop Your Mask" was released. Abbott continues to release singles including a smooth jazz song "Chill" featuring saxophonist Gerald Albright.


title: Gregory Abbott

text: Abbott was married to American singer Freda Payne from 1976 until 1979. Their son, Gregory Joel Abbott, Jr., was born in 1977.


title: Scott Phillips (musician)

text: Thomas Scott "Flip" Phillips (born February 22, 1973) is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He is the drummer, percussionist, keyboardist and co-founder of the bands Creed, Alter Bridge, and Projected.


title: Scott Phillips (musician)

text: Phillips grew up in Madison, Florida. He started out playing in a band called Crosscut at 18. He was a founding member of the band Creed. After Creed dissolved, he joined Alter Bridge in 2004 with fellow then-former Creed members bassist Brian Marshall and lead guitarist Mark Tremonti. He is a self-taught drummer, starting at age 18, and has also played piano and saxophone. Phillips is credited with playing drums and keyboards on Creed's 2001 album Weathered, along with 1997's My Own Prison and 1999's Human Clay. In early 2012, Phillips joined the supergroup Projected with musicians from Sevendust and Submersed.


title: Scott Phillips (musician)

text: Phillips cites the following drummers as his influences: Will Calhoun (Living Colour), Matt Cameron (Soundgarden/Pearl Jam), Lars Ulrich (Metallica), John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Morgan Rose (Sevendust), and Neil Peart (Rush). His favorite bands are Living Colour, Tool, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Rush. His favorite albums are "Time's Up" (Living Colour), "The Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wall" (Pink Floyd), "Led Zeppelin IV" (Led Zeppelin), "Master of Puppets" (Metallica) and "Superunknown" (Soundgarden).


title: Scott Phillips (musician)

text: Scott has, in the past, used Premier Drums, but has recently been seen with DW Drums. Scott also uses Evans Drumheads, Zildjian cymbals, and Vic Firth drumsticks.


The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman is a 2022 British Netflix docuseries directed by Sam Benstead and Gareth Johnson. The three-part series follows the search for British conman Robert Hendy-Freegard, and details how he masked his true identity in order to steal money from a multitude of different people for more than two decades. The series was released on 18 January 2022.


title: The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman

text: The series gained generally positive reviews. "The Guardian" praised the series as "unbelievable and unforgettable" and gave it four stars. "The Independent" gave the series three stars and opined that the show is "a deft but incomplete story of unbelievable deception".


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: The Kathmandu Valley (; also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley (, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः)), is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayan mountains in Nepal. It lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of the Indian subcontinent and the broader Asian continent, and has at least 130 important monuments, including several pilgrimage sites for Hindus and Buddhists. There are seven World Heritage Sites within the valley.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: The Kathmandu Valley is the most developed and the largest urban agglomeration in Nepal with about 5 million population. The urban agglomeration of Kathmandu Valley includes the cities of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Budhanilkantha, Tarakeshwar, Gokarneshwar, Suryabinayak, Tokha, Kirtipur, Madhyapur Thimi, Bhaktapur, etc. The majority of offices and headquarters are located in the valley, making it the economic hub of Nepal. It is popular with tourists for its unique architecture, and rich culture that includes the highest number of jatras (festivals) in Nepal. Kathmandu valley itself was referred to as "Nepal Proper" by British historians. As per the World Bank, the Kathmandu Valley was one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in South Asia with 2.5 million population by 2010 with an annual growth rate of 4%.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: In 2015, Kathmandu Valley was hit by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. The earthquake caused thousands of deaths and the destruction of much infrastructure across the Kathmandu Valley, which includes the towns of Lalitpur, Kirtipur, Madhyapur Thimi, Bhaktapur. Kathmandu is also the largest city in the Himalayan hill region.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: Historically, the valley and adjoining areas made up a confederation known as the Nepal Mandala. Until the 15th century, Bhaktapur was its capital, when two other capitals, Kathmandu and Lalitpur (Patan), were established. Until the 1960s, the Kathmandu Valley was known as "Nepala Valley" or "Nepa Valley". In 1961 the valley listed as "Kathmandu District", which began referring the valley as Kathmandu Valley. The term "Nepa Valley" is still used among Newar people and local governments, while senior citizens still tend to refer the valley as "Nepal".


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: The term "Swaniga" (Nepal Bhasa: 𑐳𑑂𑐰𑐣𑐶𑐐𑑅, स्वनिगः) is used to refer "three cities" namely Yén (Kathmandu), Yala (Lalitpur) and Khwapa (Bhaktapur)


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: The Pahari name "Kathmandu" comes from a structure in the Durbar Square called by the Sanskrit name "Kāsṣtha mandapa" "Wooden shelter". This unique temple, also known as the "Maru Sattal", was built in 1596 by King Lakshmi Narasimha Malla. The entire structure contained no iron nails or supports and was made entirely from wood. Legend has it that the timber used for this two-story pagoda was obtained from a single tree.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: The Kathmandu Valley may have been inhabited as early as 300 BCE, since the oldest known objects in the valley date to a few hundred years BCE. The earliest known inscription is dated 185 CE. The oldest firmly dated building in the earthquake-prone valley is over 2,000 years old. Four stupas around the city of Patan that are said to have been erected by a Charumati, a purported daughter of the Maurya emperor Ashoka, in the third century BCE, attest to the ancient history present within the valley. As with the tales of the Buddha's visit, there is no evidence supporting Ashok's visit, but the stupas probably date to that century. The Licchavis, whose earliest inscriptions date to 464, were the next rulers of the valley and had close ties with the Gupta Empire of India. The Mallas ruled the Kathmandu Valley and the surrounding area from the 12th until the 18th century CE, when the Shah dynasty of the Gorkha Kingdom under Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered the valley as he created present-day Nepal. His victory in the Battle of Kirtipur was the beginning of his conquest of the valley.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: The Newars are the indigenous inhabitants and the creators of the historic civilization of the valley. Their language is today known as Nepal Bhasa. They are understood to be the descendants of the various ethnic and racial groups that have inhabited and ruled the valley in the two-millennium history of the place. Scholars have also described the Newars as a nation. They have developed a division of labour and a sophisticated urban civilization not seen elsewhere in the Himalayan foothills. They are known for their contributions to art, sculpture, architecture, culture, literature, music, industry, trade, agriculture and cuisine, and left their mark on the art of Central Asia.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: Newa architecture consists of the pagoda, stupa, shikhara, chaitya and other styles. The valley's trademark is the multiple-roofed pagoda which may have originated in this area and spread to India, China, Indochina and Japan. The most famous artisan who influenced stylistic developments in China and Tibet was Araniko, a Newar who traveled to the court of Kublai Khan in the 13th century AD. He is known for building the white stupa at the Miaoying Temple in Beijing. At present, people from other parts of Nepal tend to migrate to the valley for a better life due to its high level of cultural and economic development. Even with urbanization taking place, the Newars have sustained their culture in Kathmandu Valley.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: According to Swayambhu Puran, the Kathmandu Valley was once a lake, deemed by scientists as Paleo Kathmandu Lake. The hill where the Swayambu Stupa rests had lotus plants with flowers in bloom. One story says that the God Manjusri cut a gorge at a valley called Kashapaal (later called Chobhar) with a sword called Chandrahrasha and drained away the waters in order to establish a habitable land.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: According to Gopal Banshawali, Krishna cut the gorge with his Sudarshana Chakra to let the water out. He then handed the drained valley to the Gopal Vansi people, who were nomadic cow herders.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: Kathmandu valley is bowl-shaped. Its central lower part stands at above sea level. Kathmandu valley is surrounded by four mountain ranges: Shivapuri hills (at an elevation of ), Phulchowki (), Nagarjun () and Chandragiri (). The major river flowing through the Kathmandu Valley is the Bagmati River.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: The valley is made up of the Kathmandu District, Lalitpur District and Bhaktapur District covering an area of . The valley consists of the municipal areas of Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur and Madhyapur Thimi; the remaining area is made up of a number of municipalities and rural municipalities (in Lalitpur district). The valley is a cultural and political hub of Nepal. The Kathmandu valley was accorded the status of a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 1979.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: This is an incomplete alphabetical list of notable temples and monuments in Kathmandu Valley. Seven of these are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: This valley hosts a UNESCO World Heritage Site with seven preserved locations: the centers of the three primary cities, Kathmandu Hanuman Dhoka, Patan Durbar Square and Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the two most important Buddhist stupas, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath and two famous Hindu shrines, Pashupatinath temple and Changu Narayan. In 2003, UNESCO listed the sites as being "endangered" out of concern for the ongoing loss of authenticity and the outstanding universal value of the cultural property. The endangered status was lifted in 2007.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: In the past, Tibetan Buddhist Masters including Marpa, Milarepa, Rwa Lotsava, Ras Chungpa, Dharma Swami, XIII Karmapa, XVI Karmapa and several others visited and travelled in the Kathmandu Valley. However, the largest group of Tibetans came in the 1960s. Many settled around the Swayambhunath and Boudhanath Stupas. Many other famous Lamas known throughout the world have their Buddhist monasteries and centers in the Kathmandu Valley.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: The 1500-year history of funerary architecture in the valley provides some of the finest examples of stone architecture found in the subcontinent. A "caitya" is placed in almost all courtyards in cities like Patan. Stone inscriptions in the Kathmandu Valley are important sources for the history of Nepal.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: It is proposed to Government of Nepal to develop Kathmandu valley as a separate national capital territory and not a part of Bagmati Province.


title: Kathmandu Valley

text: Kathmandu Valley consists 3 Districts of Bagmati Province whose total population is 2,996,341 and total area is


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition in India, also known as the MRCA tender, was a competition to supply 126 multi-role combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Defence Ministry had allocated at 2008 prices for the purchase of these aircraft, making it India's single largest defence deal. The MMRCA tender was floated with the idea of filling the gap between its future Light Combat Aircraft and its in-service Sukhoi Su-30MKI air superiority fighter.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The contest featured six fighter aircraft: Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-16, Mikoyan MiG-35, and Saab JAS 39 Gripen. On 27 April 2011, after an intensive and detailed technical evaluation by the IAF, it reduced the bidders to two fighters—Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale. On 31 January 2012 it was announced that Dassault Rafale had won the competition due to its lower life-cycle cost. The deal had been reported to cost US$28–30 billion in 2014.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: However, the deal stalled due to disagreements over production in India. Dassault refused to take responsibility for the 108 HAL-manufactured Rafales, as it had reservations about the ability of HAL to accommodate the complex manufacturing and technology transfers of the aircraft. Instead, Dassault said it would have to negotiate two separate production contracts by both companies. The Indian Defence Ministry instead wanted Dassault to be solely responsible for the sale and delivery of all 126 aircraft. In May 2013, "The Times of India" reported that negotiations were "back on track", with plans for the first 18 Rafales to be delivered in 2017. Another point of contention is a provision where Dassault was to reinvest 50 percent of the deal's earnings into India's defence sectors, either through purchases or technological expertise. In March 2014, the two sides were reported to have agreed that the first 18 aircraft would be delivered to India in flying condition and that the remaining 108 would be 70 percent built by HAL. , it was reported that India and France expect to sign a contract by March 2015. On 13 April 2015, the defence minister Manohar Parrikar made an announcement that the M-MRCA tender is "effectively dead". India officially withdrew the 126-aircraft MMRCA tender on 30 July 2015.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: On the joint press statement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's with President François Hollande, during his visit of France, the PM said that India will purchase 36 Rafales, This contract was finalised and all the 36 aircraft will arrive in India in flying condition. The agreed upon terms in April 2015 totaled US$8 billion for 36 airplanes costing $200 million each, with an offset requirement of 30 percent of the deal's value for France to reinvest in India's defense sector and create infrastructure in India for the Rafale to operate.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: In January 2016, the Indian government directed the Indian Navy to undertake detailed briefings with Dassault regarding the Rafale, in a potential start to procurement of the naval version for its aircraft carriers. The government wants commonalities between logistics and spares for fighters with the Navy and Air Force, which could lead to a purchase of 54 naval fighters.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air-arm of the Armed Forces of India and has the primary responsibility of conducting aerial warfare, defending the Indian airspace, conducting strategic strikes inside enemy territory and providing aerial cover to ground troops. It is the fourth largest air force in the world, with a strength of more than 1,500 aircraft, including more than 750 combat aircraft.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The minimum sanctioned strength of the IAF is 39.5 squadrons of combat aircraft, with a healthy level of 44 squadrons. However, this level was achieved only in the mid-1980s with the acquisition of the Mirage 2000s, MiG-29s and Jaguars. In addition, most IAF aircraft were comparatively new at the time, being less than 10 years old. Most of the older aircraft would have become obsolete by the mid-1990s, with the rest needing replacement by 2010. However, these aircraft were not replaced, which led to frequent crashes and attrition losses. Reduction in force levels and phasing out of aircraft have meant that the IAF operates only 30 fighter squadrons as of January 2014. Even with the planned MMRCA procurement, the IAF will reach sanctioned strength only by 2017.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Due to budgetary constraints—specifically, the economic problems in the early 1990s—the refurbishment of old planes and purchase of new ones was halted. Added to this was the disintegration of the Soviet Union, which led to severe shortage of aircraft spares, which rendered many of them unserviceable.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The attrition was stemmed to some extent by extensive upgrade programs on the MiG-21 ("bis" upgrade), MiG-27, Jaguar ("DARIN I" upgrade) and other aircraft in the mid-1990s. An aggressive program of upgrades was initiated. The MiG-21bis aircraft have been upgraded to MiG-21 Bison levels (125 aircraft will be upgraded to that standard), Jaguars to "DARIN III" standards, and Mirage 2000s and MiG-27s were also upgraded. The MiG-23MF air defence interceptor was phased out in 2007 by the IAF. Further retirements of MiG-23BN ground attack aircraft began in March 2009. With decreased aircraft squadrons level, MiG-23s are set to be replaced by MRCA winner.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The IAF projected a requirement for about 126 aircraft in 2001, when the strength was at 39.5 squadrons (down from 45). There is an option for an additional 74 aircraft. Initial requirements appeared to be for a 20-ton class fighter aircraft with the Mirage 2000 as the strongest contender. However, the 20-ton MTOW limit requirement has been removed. Also, considering the delays in the bidding, it was very likely that the LCA would be ready for induction by then. The IAF then would require replacements for its frontline strike aircraft like the MiG-27 and Jaguar, which would be retiring by 2015. India's future 5th-generation aircraft, the Russo-Indian Sukhoi/HAL FGFA and the indigenous Medium Combat Aircraft will not be ready before 2025, and 2022, respectively, thus providing the need for a replacement. Thus, the MRCA tender is more likely to be a medium-weight aircraft (MTOW of ~24 tons). This has led to a renaming of the competition as the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The Indian government is to buy the first 18 aircraft directly from the manufacturer. The remaining fighters will be built under licence with a transfer of technology (ToT) by HAL.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The IAF was keen on buying the Mirage 2000–5, after it was impressed by the Mirage 2000's capabilities during the Kargil War. However, due to the upcoming manufacture of the Dassault Rafale and lack of orders, the Mirage production lines were to be closed down. French officials stated that they could be kept open if India had made a firm commitment. However, the Indian Government decided to go in for a multi-vendor tendering process. Requests for Information (RFI) were issued in 2004. The RFIs were initially sent to four vendors: Dassault (Mirage 2000-5 Mk.2), Lockheed Martin (F-16C/D), Mikoyan (MiG-29OVT), and Saab (JAS 39 Gripen).


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Due to the tendering process and delay in issuing the RFIs, Dassault decided to remove the Mirage 2000-5 from the bidding process and enter the Rafale in its place. The MiG-35 was entered in place of the prototype MiG-29OVT. The Eurofighter consortium entered the Typhoon into the competition. The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet also joined the tendering.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Six aircraft were bid for the order – the Swedish Saab Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, French Dassault Rafale, Russian Mikoyan MiG-35, and the American F-16IN and F/A-18IN Super Hornet ("IN" are the proposed Indian versions). Previously, Mikoyan and Dassault have been regular suppliers of aircraft for the Indian Air Force and in terms of transfers of technology, licensed production in India, personnel training, supply of spare parts, maintenance, and upgrading.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engined delta-wing agile multi-role fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. The Rafale was brought in as the replacement for the Mirage 2000-5 that was originally a competitor for the tender, after the production lines for the Mirage closed down, as well as the entry of much more advanced aircraft into the competition.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The Rafale has the advantage of being logistically and operationally similar to the Mirage 2000, which the IAF already operated and used with great success during the Kargil War in Operation Safed Sagar. This would require fewer changes in the existing infrastructure of the IAF, which reduces costs. Moreover, being 100% French also provided Dassault a distinct edge over its competitors on the issue of technology transfer. Dassault claims that the Rafale has an advantage over many of the competitors because it is not subject to ITAR restrictions.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: While not included in the MRCA requirement, the French fighter has more configurations of potential interest for the IAF: a carrier-based version (the Rafale M) and a capability for nuclear strategic strike. Both of these particular versions are in use in the French Armed Forces. At present however the Rafale M uses a catapult system (not present on the initial Vikrant) and the nuclear strike use is earmarked by others jets of the IAF. On 26 June 2012, it was revealed that the Rafale M (naval variant) could be used on a STOBAR aircraft carrier without any modification of the planes or installation of catapults on the flight deck.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The French government has cleared full technology transfer of the Rafale to India, including that of the RBE2-AA AESA radar which will be integrated into the Rafale by 2010 and also the transfer of software source code, which will allow Indian scientists to re-programme a radar or any sensitive equipment if needed. Without the software source code, the IAF would have to specify mission parameters to foreign manufacturers to enable configuration of their radar, seriously compromising security in the process.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Dassault has also offered to fit the GTX-35VS Kaveri engine into the Rafale, which if chosen, would greatly improve commonality with the HAL Tejas that will enter service into the IAF by 2010. Concerns have been raised about cost issues as well as potential sales to Pakistan, which has also expressed interest in the Rafale. However, no such jets have been sold to Pakistan. India and France have recently agreed to "go beyond a buyer-seller relationship". On 31 January 2012 Rafale was declared the winner of the MMRCA competition, beating Eurofighter Typhoon on cost.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine multi-role canard-delta air superiority fighter aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers through Eurofighter GmbH.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Eurofighter is offering the Tranche-3 Typhoon for the Indian requirement, equipped with the CAESAR AESA radar. EADS has invited India to become a partner of the Eurofighter Typhoon programme if the Typhoon wins the contract, and will be given technological and development participation in future tranches of the Typhoon. Bernhard Gerwert, CEO of EADS Defense Department, elaborated that if India becomes the fifth partner of the Eurofighter programme, it will be able to manufacture assemblies for new Eurofighters.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: In January 2010, EADS offered to include thrust vectoring nozzles (TVNs) with the Typhoon's EJ200 engines for India. Thrust vectoring will improve operational capabilities, and reduce fuel burn by up to 5% and increase thrust while supersonic cruising by 7%.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a twin-engine carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft. The MMRCA contract represents a prime opportunity for US defence companies to gain a foothold in the Indian defence market, which is estimated to be about 100 billion in the next 10 years. Initially, the Request for Information (RFI) was not issued to Boeing, which decided to field the Super Hornet. The US Government allowed Boeing to participate in the RFI, and later gave permission for the Request For Proposal (RFP). However, any sale of aircraft would have to be approved by the US Congress.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Initial reactions within the IAF were enthusiastic, although there were apprehensions of support issues in case of future sanctions. The US stated that there would have been some restrictions and pre-conditions for the purchase of the aircraft.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: On 24 April 2008, Boeing submitted its 7,000-page proposal to the Ministry of Defence through the US Embassy in New Delhi, before the 28 April deadline for the submission for proposals. The Super Hornet variant being offered to India, the F/A-18IN, is based on the F/A-18E/F model operated by the US Navy and being built for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Raytheon's APG-79 AESA radar was offered on the aircraft. There would have been limited Transfer of Technology on the radar, up to the level approved by the US Government. However, Raytheon stated that the level of ToT offered would be compliant with the RFP requirements. Delivery of the first F/A-18IN Super Hornets could have begun approximately 36 months after contract award.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Boeing proposed joint manufacture of the jets with Indian partners. It also planned to offset the cost by setting up a US$100 million maintenance and training hub in Nagpur. This is the first time the Super Hornet has been offered for production in a foreign country. On 14 February 2008, Boeing and Tata Industries agreed to form a joint-venture company. The new entity formed in February 2008, will supply components for Boeing military aircraft, including the Super Hornet.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: In order to satisfy its offset requirements, Boeing has signed long-term partnership agreements with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Tata Industries, and Larsen & Toubro.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: India initially sent the RFI for a F-16C/D Block 52+ configuration aircraft. On 17 January 2008, Lockheed Martin offered a customized version of the F-16, the F-16IN "Super Viper" for the Indian MMRCA contract. The F-16IN, which is similar to the F-16 Block 60, will be a 4.5 generation aircraft. Lockheed Martin has stated that it will be the most advanced F-16 variant developed. It will be more advanced than the F-16 Block 52s that the Pakistan Air Force has acquired.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Lockheed Martin described the F-16IN as "the most advanced and capable F-16 ever." Based closely on the F-16E/F Block 60 as supplied to the UAE, the features on the F-16IN include:


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Lockheed Martin offered to sell India the F-35 Lightning II aircraft in the future, as replacements, if the F-16 was chosen.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The Mikoyan MiG-35 () (NATO reporting name Fulcrum-F) is the production version of the latest MiG-29 and incorporates mature development of the MiG-29M/M2 and MiG-29K/KUB technology, such as glass cockpit and fly-by-wire technology. The IAF already operates MiG-29s, and the Navy has ordered MiG-29K/KUBs for its "INS Vikramaditya" (formerly "Admiral Gorshkov") and INS "Vikrant"-class aircraft carriers.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Russia unveiled the MiG-35 at Aero India 2007 in Bangalore, amid Moscow's keen interest to sell these planes to India. This was the first time that the final version of the MiG-35 was publicly displayed at an international air show, and thus, generated a great deal of interest.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Since the IAF already has maintenance and upgrade facilities for the MiG-29, this would mean that the fighter could be brought into service with a minimum of expenditure on infrastructure. A major advantage of MiG-35 is that Russia is committed to transfer the plane's technology, including the new advanced Zhuk Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, to India. In the past, Russia has provided customised versions of military equipment such as the Su-30MKI and continued to provide support for equipment during international sanctions. However, Russian product support, especially for the MiG-29 fleet has been inadequate.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Additionally, buying the MiG-35 would mean an almost total dependence on a single supplier for India's entire fighter fleet. Recent Russian demands for renegotiation of earlier contracts, the sale of RD-93 engines (a variant of the Klimov RD-33 that powers the Indian MiG-29s) to Pakistan for its JF-17 Thunder aircraft and concurrently supplying combat aircraft to China has also caused concern in New Delhi.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The Saab JAS 39 Gripen ("Griffin" or ""Gryphon"") is a fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. The aircraft is in service with the Swedish, Czech, Hungarian, and the South African air forces. The Royal Thai Air Force has also received the aircraft.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The Gripen was one of the aircraft that the IAF sent the Request for Information. The Gripen participated at Aero India 2007, where one JAS 39C (single seater) and two JAS 39D (two-seater) variants were brought. Gripen International offered the Gripen IN, a version of the Gripen NG (Next Generation) for India's competition. The Gripen NG has increased fuel capacity, more powerful powerplant, higher payload, upgraded avionics and other improvements.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The order is for 126 aircraft with the option to buy another 64–74 more. While there were reports of the direct order being increased to 200, or split between two vendors, Former Chief of Air Staff of the IAF, Air Marshal S.P. Tyagi stated during Aero India 2007 that the number would remain the same, and would be sourced from a single vendor. The first squadron would be directly supplied by the vendor, while the rest would be manufactured under license in India by HAL.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The Government of India has sanctioned approximately , with reports that another US$2 billion might be added to this. This is indicative of the high importance of the order to the respective vendors. The total value of purchasing the aircraft is expected to be US$20 billion, with options for purchasing more aircraft.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The economic offset for the MMRCA tender was increased to 50% under the DPP 2006. The bidders must confirm the offset details in a separate proposal, to be submitted by 9 June 2008. This brings the value of offsets in the MMRCA deal to almost .


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The initial Request for Information (RFI) for the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) was put out in 2001. At that time the request for proposal (RFP) was expected to be issued in December 2005. Later the RFP was expected to be issued in June 2007. During Aero India 2007, Defence Minister A.K. Antony stated that the RFP would be issued by 31 March 2007. However, Air Marshal A.S. Tyagi, in his last press conference before he retired, had stated that there were delays in issuing the RFP. His successor, Air Marshal F.H. Major had said that the RFP would be issued by June. The delays were said to be due to new factors added into the RFP such as Total Life-cycle Costs as well as fine-tuning the Offset policy, under the new DPP 2005. The Total Life-cycle Cost has been introduced for the first time in Indian defence procurements, and has reportedly been a major source of the delay.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: On 29 June, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by the Defence Minister, cleared the process for the procurement of 126 aircraft. The 211-page RFP was approved for release to the respective bidders. On 28 August 2007, the RFP was released to the 6 bidding companies.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The bidders had to give their Formal Proposals within six months from the release of the RFP, latest by 3 March 2008. However, some of the bidders asked for an extension of the deadline, citing complexity of the RFP. The deadline for submission of the proposals was then extended by a month. The Formal Proposals will have to be submitted by 28 April 2008. The Proposals will then be technically evaluated to check for compliance with IAF's requirements and other RFP conditions. After that, field trials will be carried out to evaluate the performance. Finally, the Commercial Proposal of the vendors, short-listed after technical and field evaluations, will be examined and compared, and a winner announced.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: After the winner is chosen, there will be further rounds of negotiation to decide the final price, as well as sensor suite and aircraft configuration, along with other factors, like offsets and maintenance. The first squadron of 18 aircraft will come in a 'fly away' condition, while the remaining 108 will be manufactured in India under ToT.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: On 8 August 2008, the then IAF Chief Air Marshal Fali H. Major informed that technical evaluations were being conducted and claimed that the IAF is all set to conduct field trials of the MRCA bidding aircraft in the second half of 2008. The industry offset proposals from the bidders have been provided to India as of 11 August 2008. The technical evaluation of the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) has been completed by 18 November 2008.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: There have been concerns that this process would take a few years at least, and getting the aircraft after that would take longer. It is reasonable to expect that the aircraft can be delivered no sooner than 2011.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: In January 2009 SAAB International, proposed to India the transfer of technology if Gripen win the MRCA and make India 'an independent manufacturer' of its own fighter jets. SAAB favored 'extensive transfer of technology' well in excess of 60% more than requirement of RFI to boost India's indigenous capabilities in fighter jets.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: It was reported in April 2009 that Dassault Aviation's Rafale has been rejected after technical evaluation of the fighters. However, this has been disputed by IAF. In late May 2009 Times of India has reported that Dassault Aviation has submitted the missing answers to the General Staff Qualitative Requirements drawn up by the IAF, and after serious diplomatic intervention, they are back in the race.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: On 27 May 2009 Indian Air Force completed the technical evaluation of all 6 fighter jets. Air chief marshal Fali H. Major told the press that the reports had been submitted to the ministry of defence. The aircraft will be put through a rigorous testing process at Bangalore, Jaisalmer and Leh. The aircraft will undergo technical and humid condition tests in Bangalore. Desert trials will be conducted in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan and High-altitude and mountainous condition trials will be conducted at Leh in Ladakh.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Flight evaluation of the fighters started in August 2009 at Bangalore. The F/A-18E/F and F-16IN completed their field trials by mid-September 2009. The Rafale began trials in late September 2009. As of late October 2009, the IAF has completed the trials of F/A-18, F-16, Rafale, and MiG-35. According to Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, all the aircraft tested so far "are going neck and neck".


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The Gripen was the last of the aircraft to be evaluated by the IAF. On 22 March, two Gripens left Bangalore, one to Jaisalmer and the other to Leh, Ladakh. At Jaisalmer AFS, a Gripen would undertake the hot weather trials and also a dummy run and bomb drop at the Pokhran Firing Range. The other Gripen headed towards Leh, would perform high altitude tests involving landing, refueling and restarting engines. Prior to the Gripen, 4 out of the 5 aircraft had issues restarting their engines during trials conducted in Leh. The Gripen completed its high altitude tests in Leh and other hot weather tests.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Updated bids were requested by the MOD in April 2010. The IAF was to complete an evaluation report on the six fighters in July 2010 and then begin to shortlist them based on the air force's evaluations. A report suggested Rafale and Typhoon were in the final stage. The Sunday Telegraph reported in November 2010 that the Eurofighter Typhoon was leading the competition on "technical terms". Now Indian government will take its strategic decision. On 18 December 2010, the IAF chief stated that the "evaluation of the fighters has been completed and the matter is now with the Ministry of Defence". He hoped a contract would be signed by July 2011.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: It was reported on 27 April 2011 that only Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale made the cut to the shortlist. Eurofighter and Dassault have been told to keep their commercial bids open till 31 December 2011. The US ambassador in India, Timothy Roemer said that they were "deeply disappointed" by the news, but added that they were reviewing the documents received from the Government of India and were "respectful of the procurement process". He also said that the US looked forward to continuing to grow and develop their defence partnership with India. Officials from SAAB confirmed that the Gripen was not shortlisted but added that they were committed to the Indian market and continue their plans for growth and that they see large business opportunities in the aerospace, defence and security sectors in India.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: A US diplomatic cable leaked by WikiLeaks has brought forward the fact that US diplomats already held the view that Indian defense trade, in such important deals with the US, will be subject to scrutiny, owing to the US maintaining a favorable military partnership with Pakistan and due to the sanctions that the US imposed on India after the Pokhran-II nuclear tests. Timothy Roemer, the US ambassador to India, said in a 29 October 2009 cable to Michele Flournoy, a top Pentagon official then about to visit India that "Our ability to seize the opportunities presented by this newly improved environment is limited by the commonly held view that the US will not prove to be a reliable supplier of defense equipment".


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: After entries from Lockheed Martin and Boeing were not short-listed, both companies requested a debrief to understand why their bids fell short in the technical evaluation. On 11 July 2011 representatives from Lockheed Martin and Boeing attended a government-to-government debriefing between Indian and US officials. The companies stated they accepted the IAF decision in releases. In late July 2011, the IAF said that the lowest bidder was to be determined in the "next five to six weeks".


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: On 9 October 2011, despite reports that a winner would be announced in October 2011, Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne stated that India is first approving the finalists' industrial offset offers, and allowing each time to make a final bid. A total cost based on life-cycle cost, purchase cost, and technology transfer value for each competitor will be calculated. The two competing financial bids were formally opened on 4 November 2011.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: French newspaper "La Tribune" reported on 12 January that the Eurofighter consortium seems to have submitted the lower bid.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: On 31 January 2012, it was announced that the Dassault Rafale won the competition and has been selected for exclusive negotiations. The reasons given for selection included lower unit cost and lower overall lifecycle cost for the Rafale compared to the Eurofighter due to lower fuel consumption and simpler maintenance requirements. Some reports indicated that EADS may try to re-enter the bid with a lower price quote, but MoD sources ruled out re-entry; the Rafale's lifecycle cost per unit was about $40 million less than that of the Typhoon. MoD sources also indicated that the final value of MMRCA deal for 126 aircraft (After negotiations) was expected to be about $20–$25 billion.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Defense analysts also point out the operational performance of Rafale during the Libyan bombing campaign and in Afghanistan, the existing experience of the Indian Air Force in operating the French Mirage 2000H during the Kargil War and compatibility with Indian, Israeli, and Russian sub-systems as possible reasons. It was also noted that the recent decision to upgrade India's Mirage 2000H fighters will simplify the Indian Air Force's logistics chain. Historical reasons are also considered by analysts to be a potential reason as France was also the only Western nation not to impose sanctions after India tested five nuclear devices in 1998.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: The decision was welcomed in France with the French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Minister of State for Foreign Trade Pierre Lellouche, and Dassault Aviation all issuing statements in support of the decision. Dassault Aviation shares soared more than 21 percent on the Paris Stock Exchange immediately after the news broke. Nicolas Sarkozy said the selection of Dassault's Rafale multi-role fighter ""goes far beyond the company that makes them, far beyond aerospace – it is a vote of confidence in the entire French economy"." The office of the French President issued a statement:


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Dassault Aviation also released a statement claiming that following the announcement of the final selection of the Rafale in the frame of the MMRCA program, Dassault Aviation and its partners are honored and grateful to the Indian Government and the people of India to be given the opportunity to extend their long-lasting cooperation. Dassault Aviation also stated that they reiterate their commitment to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force and underline their pride in contributing to India's defence for over half a century. The French Minister of State for Foreign Trade Pierre Lellouche called the selection as a positive sign for the struggling French economy but he later cautioned that a number of things remained to be finalized: "I confirm that we are in a very positive phase for the Rafale in India. ... At this stage we have to remain prudent; we are in a phase of exclusive negotiations. We have won the contract but there a number of things to finalize so let's be cautious for now". He also stated that he hoped that the order will finally open up real perspectives for the Rafale programme and referring to the lobbying done by the American, Russian and British governments, added that the political pressure applied by the competitors did not make things very easy.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Eurofighter issued a statement saying that although they are disappointed, they respect the decision: "India took the decision to select our competitor as the preferred bidder in the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender. Although this is not yet a contract signature and contract negotiations are still ahead, we are disappointed. However, we respect the decision of the Indian MoD. With the Eurofighter Typhoon, we offered the Indian Air Force the most modern combat aircraft available. Based on the Indian Government feedback, we will now carefully analyze and evaluate this situation together with our European Partner Companies and their respective Governments." Officials at the British High Commission in Delhi also said they were disappointed with the decision but added that it was expressly said this was about the cost of the contract, not a reflection on the health of bilateral relations between India and the countries.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: After the announcement of Dassault Rafale as the L1 bidder, the Eurofighter Consortium also decided to lower the price of the Typhoon jets to stay in the race. This decision came after extensive discussion amongst the member nations. However, the Indian MoD officials ruled out any possibility of a comeback by the Eurofighter Typhoon in the competition. According to them, Dassault Rafale beat the Typhoon by a huge margin in terms of life cycle costs as well as direct acquisition costs. In March 2012 UK defense minister Gerald Howarth told the British House of Commons that the Eurofighter Consortium respects the Indian government's decision but stands ready to enter further negotiations if possible.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Though a letter of intent (LoI) has been issued to Dassault, contract negotiations must be completed. Indian Defence Minister A K Antony confirmed that the contract was not expected to be signed until after March 2012. A total of 126 Rafale fighters are to be supplied; Dassault Aviation is to build the initial batch of 18, with the remaining aircraft produced by HAL in India.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: It has been speculated that at a later stage, India's order may include a further 64 aircraft to equip three squadrons. Some Indian politicians have questioned the aircraft's performance, notably precision bombing, in Opération Harmattan during the Libyan Civil War and have alleged "manipulation in the evaluation process." In response to these concerns, an independent investigation concluded that the evaluation was conducted according to the RFP terms and defence procurement procedures.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: In February 2012, Dassault Aviation and Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) formed a joint venture for joint opportunities in the defence sector and cooperation in the execution of the MMRCA deal. The partnership provides Dassault with a substantial opportunity to fulfill its offset responsibilities under the contract. Dassault wanted RIL to be the main partner in production of the aircraft, but the Indian government refused to allow that as the tender for the procurement had already specified that Hindustan Aeronautics would be the lead integrator. The differences were resolved when Dassault agreed to the Indian government's condition. Dassault will now help Reliance create a factory in Bangalore, similar to its production facilities in France, to produce the wings of aircraft.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne went on a four-day tour of France from 21 May 2012. The tour was to include a visit to a French Rafale squadron and see Rafale's production facilities at Merignac. He would also meet the French Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Edouard Guillaud and his French Air force counterpart General Jean-Paul Palomeros to discuss the ongoing defence cooperation between India and France.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: In September 2012, India media outlets suggested cost escalation and contract delays are likely. The Indian Air Force expected to complete negotiations and sign the contract by the end of the fiscal year, in March 2013. However, in 2013, Indian Minister of External Affairs, Salman Khurshid said that the contract was taking longer than expected to finalize. EADS on the other hand is still hopeful of the contract given the delay in signing the contract. It is said that the deal came up during the visit of British prime minister to India in February 2013.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: In January 2014, the cost of the aircraft had reportedly escalated by 100% to no less than US$28–30 billion. The cost of the program was projected at US$12 billion (Rs42,000 crore) in 2007. The cost increased to US$18 billion (Rs90,000 crore) in January 2012 when the lowest bidder was declared. In February 2014, it was reported that contract had not been signed due to the department's budget had been spent for the year, but that it was expected to be signed in the next fiscal year, not before six months after the new government takes charge after the elections. In March 2014, the two sides were reported to have agreed that the first 18 aircraft would be delivered to India in flying condition and that the remaining 108 would be 70% built by HAL.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: In June 2014, following the Indian general elections, it was reported the contract negotiations had stalled, as neither Dassault Aviation nor HAL, which would produce the Rafale in India, were willing to issue written guarantees on delivery schedules, a condition which the MoD insisted upon before signing the contract for the aircraft. Owing to the continued deadlock over the Rafale negotiations, it was reported that both Eurofighter and Saab remained hopeful their bids could be reconsidered. Saab had also submitted a proposal to co-develop the HAL Tejas Mk. II LCA with the Defence Research and Developments Organisation(DRDO), thus reducing the need to induct the Rafale; however, a spokesman for the DRDO said foreign assistance with the Tejas Mk. II project was not needed, as the work was progressing satisfactorily.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: On an official visit to India at the start of July 2014, Laurent Fabius, the Foreign Minister of France, said discussions were "developing in [a] very positive way" and that he was "very confident about the final outcome." It was also noted that of the four committees set up by the MoD to review the Rafale project, three had replied positively about inducting the aircraft, but that the recommendation of the fourth committee, which dealt with pricing and costs, would be crucial for the government's final decision. Analysts also noted that it was vital for the technology element of the project to also be transferred to India. During the visit there was speculation that the MoD was considering reducing the order from 126 to 80 aircraft due to the escalating costs of the deal. During an official visit from 6–8 July 2014, the British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he had discussed the Rafale contract and the Eurofighter, among other issues, with Sushma Swaraj, the new Indian Minister of External Affairs. "Of course, we have always had a strong belief in the capabilities of the Eurofighter and its potential. It is always available to those countries that are able and willing to purchase it", Hague told reporters. Germany also expressed support for the Eurofighter to be reconsidered, and the US lobby said re-evaluating the American candidates in the MMRCA competition would ""set the right tone"" for a September visit to the US by the new Prime Minister Narendra Modi.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: By 14 July 2014, it was reported another meeting of a sub-committee of the contract negotiation committee had been scheduled for later that week in Bangalore, with MoD, Air Force, Dassault, DRDO and HAL representatives to be in attendance. It was reported the contract negotiations had finally reached the stage where they could be finalised in the upcoming three months, after which the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) would review the approval process before the contract could be signed. According to a source, none of the previously eliminated candidates in the MMRCA competition could be officially re-evaluated. "There are only two possibilities. One, the deal is inked for the Rafale jets. Conversely, the entire MMRCA process is scrapped after being in the works for a decade, and a fresh global tender or RFP (request for proposal) is issued." On 16 July, it was reported the contract sub-committee would be negotiating final details in Bangalore from 17–19 July, leaving the way clear for finalising the contract. "We expect total closure of negotiations over Transfer of Technology (ToT) from this round. With that done, we will have completed negotiations by sub-committees on ToT, offsets and maintenance. What will remain will be the overall cost and there too, 75 per cent of the work has been completed, " a senior MoD official said. ACM Raha expressed his optimism, and said the negotiations for the Rafale "are progressing well" and the contract is likely "sooner than later in the current financial year (2014–15)." Raha said he expected the IAF to attain a strength of 42 squadrons by 2022, up from the current number of 34, which is well below desired strength. Raha expressed confidence that the induction of the Rafale and the HAL LCA would "arrest the drawdown in the strength of fighter squadrons ... [the] IAF is likely to have its sanctioned strength of combat squadrons operational sooner than later." Sources indicated the IAF believes that Contract Negotiation Committee (CNC) could complete the necessary work before December 2014, after which the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) will consult with the Finance Ministry before signing the contract. On 12 August, Arun Jaitley, the new Defence Minister of India, issued a statement that negotiations will continue as planned.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: On 18 August 2014, a senior defence ministry official said a draft contract was being finalised and that the Cost Negotiations Committee was expected to file a final report shortly. Other ministry sources said the ministry was requesting Dassault to revise its pricing structure, as the estimated price had increased to from the original estimate of envisioned in 2007. On 2 September, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, said the contract was expected to be signed "soon," and further stressed the importance of keeping the Rafale deal, by then estimated to cost . Although the Eurofighter consortium has made a counteroffer, by which India could purchase 126 discounted Typhoons, Raha dismissed any chance of the Typhoon being reconsidered. "It will not be appropriate to make any changes in the process. The current government has set the pace of work and things are moving fast enough on the fighter deal." Regarding the counteroffer, a senior defence ministry official said, "Rafale has run through the finish line. It’s too late in the day to parachute into the race. The door is closed."


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Despite efforts, negotiations had once again stalled by October 2014, due to disputes over final costs and technology transfers. According to official reports, Dassault remained unwilling to be held liable for the 108 Rafales to be manufactured under licence by HAL, and had expressed doubts the Indian defence industry had fully developed the capabilities to handle aspects of the sensitive technologies being supplied with the Rafale, including its electronically scanned AESA radar. Due to the protracted lack of progress over the final negotiations, a senior team of Dassault executives and French defence ministry officials were scheduled to visit India in November to expedite the process. The French ambassador to India, Francois Richier, expressed satisfaction with the progress of the negotiations, however, stating they were "progressing well ... moving in the right direction." A French diplomat further said "this is a very big contract, complex ... it takes time."


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: On 5 November 2014, Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier said he expected the final contract would be signed by March 2015.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: Initially it was 18 Rafales that were to be built and sent to India in fly away conditions by France. But, on the joint press statement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's with President François Hollande, during his visit of France, the PM said that India will purchase 36 Rafales directly from France. And the contract is said to be sealed soon. There is some controversy surrounding the change in the original deal.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: On 31 July 2015, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar stated in Rajya Sabha that the deal for 126 MMRCA was officially withdrawn by the government.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: On 23 September 2016, Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian signed the contract for the purchase of 36 off-the-shelf Rafales in a deal worth €7.8 billion with an option for 18 more at the same inflation-adjusted price. The deliveries were to begin in 2019 and complete by 2022. The deal includes weapons and spares; the aircraft will be equipped with Meteor BVRAAM missiles. Indian Air Force was handed over the first Rafale in October 2019. The first batch of 5 fighters arrived in India on 29 July 2020. As of January 2021, a total of 11 fighters have arrived in India from France.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: An RFI was issued by India in April 2018 for the procurement of 114 multi-role combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force.


title: Indian MRCA competition

text: As many as eight aircraft are now competing in this fresh tender which is referred as MMRCA 2.0 or MRFA (Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft) in the Indian media. The following are the eight aircraft competing in the competition:


title: Victory (The Jacksons album)

text: Victory is the fifteenth studio album by the Jacksons. It was released by Epic Records on July 2, 1984. This was the only album to include all six Jackson brothers together as an official group.


title: Victory (The Jacksons album)

text: "Victory" was certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States in October 1984. It peaked at number four on the US "Billboard" 200 albums chart. Its most successful single, "State of Shock", peaked at number three on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 songs chart. "Victory" was supported by the Victory Tour, with Michael, who had recently released the world's all-time best-selling album, "Thriller" (1982), being prominently featured on the tour's setlist. None of the songs from "Victory" were performed on the tour.


title: Victory (The Jacksons album)

text: Shortly after the Victory Tour ended, Michael and Marlon Jackson quit the group to pursue solo careers. Jermaine, Tito, Randy, and Jackie Jackson continued on as the Jacksons and released one more album, 1989's "2300 Jackson Street" (whose title track did feature all six Jackson brothers, along with their sisters Janet and Rebbie), before splitting up.


title: Victory (The Jacksons album)

text: After a successful reunion on the "" television special in 1983, Jermaine Jackson decided to return to the group, having left Motown after nine years as a full-fledged soloist. His brothers had left Motown for Epic in 1975, but despite the reunion, the brothers rarely worked together on the album; it was mainly composed of solo songs the brothers had each worked on during that time. Each brother had a solo song on the album: Michael on "Be Not Always", Randy on “One More Chance” and “The Hurt", Tito on “We Can Change the World", Jackie on “Wait" and Marlon on “Body.” Jermaine only sings co-lead vocals with Michael on "Torture". He also performs ad-libs on "Wait" and is additionally named as a background vocalist on "One More Chance" and "The Hurt". "Torture" was originally planned to be a duet between Michael and Jackie (the song's writer), but when Jermaine officially re-joined the group, he took over the parts intended for Jackie (who can still be heard during the song's chorus and ad-libs).


title: Victory (The Jacksons album)

text: The album only had two videos — for the songs "Torture" and "Body" — and neither Jermaine nor Michael appeared in either one. A wax dummy of Michael from Madame Tussauds acted as a stand in for the "Torture" video.


title: Victory (The Jacksons album)

text: Michael recorded "State of Shock", a duet originally recorded with Queen lead vocalist Freddie Mercury. The duo were unable to finish the track, so Michael ended up recording a second version of the track with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger.


title: Victory (The Jacksons album)

text: Tensions reportedly grew between the brothers during the recording sessions and as a result, minimal publicity photography was done.