NEW DELHI, Jan 31: British Aerospace Systems (BAe) Tuesday said it has offered hardware to help India upgrade the surveillance of its land borders and maritime zone.

The company, which bagged a 1.43 billion dollar deal in 2004 to supply 66 advanced jet trainers to India, also said it was negotiating with the country’s coastguard to supply its latest radar systems.

The announcements came as India flagged off a four-day conclave of armament manufacturers from around the world to forge ties with frontline military technology.

Richard Smith, BAe’s vice president for India and Saudi Arabia, said the company has bidded for three separate programmes to be incorporated into surveillance systems designed and developed by India’s defence sector.

“We are at the bidding stage for artillery, radar and command and control systems,” Smith said on the sidelines of the exhibition being attended by 420 companies from 38 countries including France, Germany, Israel and the United States.

Mr Smith declined to quote the value of the three offers but military experts said it could run into hundreds of millions of dollars in case New Delhi planned comprehensive coverage of its volatile borders with Pakistan and China.

“We are not trying to go ahead of the local industry with our products and our disposition is to work with equipment India already has,” added Bryan Jeffers, BAe’s representative in India.

The officials said the British firm was in consultation with state-owned companies to set up homeland security systems in India, which is battling cross-border infiltration.

“India is plagued with illegal border crossing and security is critical,” said Jeffers.

India previously limited private equity in defence industries that are currently state-controlled at 26 percent.

But a 50-50 partnership between India and its largest military supplier Russia in the late 1990s for the successful co-production of the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos marked a change in direction in the arms sector.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced on Tuesday that 100 percent participation in Indian defence projects would now be possible. —AFP