Bangalore, May 27, 2005 (ANI)

Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Marshal Shashindra Pal Tyagi said that all options were open on buying 125 multi-role fighters and there is no question of succumbing to diplomatic pressures on the choice of the machine.

IAF is considering Russia's MiG-29, France's Mirage-2000, Grippen from Sweden and has also evinced interest in US' F-16s to partially replace about 300 MiG-21 aircraft, which are on the verge of being phased out.

The IAF had projected an immediate need for about 125 new fighter planes with the selection to be completed in a few months. Some of these aircrafts are likely to be given to the newly-raised Strategic Forces Command.

Tyagi denied there was any pressure from Washington on the deal expected to run into billions of dollars.

"Nobody can pressurise us. We will buy what we want. After all we have to pay for it (F-16s)," Tyagi told reporters in in Bangalore on Thursday after a meeting with Karnataka Chief Minister Dharam Singh.

Lockheed Martin, which makes the nuclear capable F-16s, says it's awaiting clearance from the US administration to bid for the deal. Islamabad was also reportedly keen to buy 75 F-16s after Bush administration announced it would resume sales to Pakistan.

Air Marshal Tyagi, referring to the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft "Tejus", said he was happy with the fighter but wished it could roll out faster.

"We are heading technologically to produce one of the better aircrafts. I wish it worked faster," said the Air Force Chief.

With the delay in the LCA programme, the IAF is in danger of entering a critical phase as it faces reduction in its fighter fleet from the current 39 squadrons to 32 by 2006.

The world's lightest combat aircraft , the eight-tonne "Tejas" has been designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency and built by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).India tested its first LCA in 2001 and another version last year, and has used software-driven "fly-by-wire" technologies and advanced lightweight composite materials to build the aircraft which can be used for attack, defence and spying.

The LCA prototypes are presently powered by US-based General Electric's GE-404 engines. India plans to develop iits own Kaveri engine for the LCA by 2007.