You guys seem to be missing the core issue here. We deserved to be downgraded and that is what happened. I would turn it around and say we evaded the negative audit because of our relatively amicable relations with the Americans.
Now that the gloves are off all favours are off the table. I am all for looking for an external influencing connection in this but the bottom line is we got what we deserved. We need to claw out of this on our merit rather a favour doled out by the FAA. Please tell me this is not too much to ask for.
Is this really about the diplomatic fiasco? Did we not opt for the F-16/18's? Are we not ignoring the US led sanctions on Iran? Are we not the staunchest adversaries of a close US ally to the west? Maybe this is arm twisting tactics through Boeing for AI's claim for compensation for the 787 debacle. Will things get better once Modi takes office?
Linking this to global geopolitics is stretching it. Being in the industry for almost seven years now, one has to be really blind to the faults and shortcomings of the folks in Jor Bagh. We can make all the excuses we want but this was a long time coming. Not because we as individuals are not keeping it safe but only for the fact that there is almost no effective oversight of our operations. And what little oversight we do have is riddled with an epidemic of quid pro quo, personal vendettas and good old Indian style corruption.