NEW DELHI, Dec 28: Major European aerospace and defence industry units have proposed tie-ups with Indian counterparts in strategic deals, the Financial Express reported on Saturday.
It said European companies such as Rolls-Royce, ATR, CFM, THALES, MBDA Missile System, Snecma, GKN Aerospace, Martin-Baker and Dassault Aviation were locked in key talks with companies including the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
Reporting from London, the paper said the deals were either aimed at intensifying existing business relations or “entering into new joint ventures to make India a base for the Asian region”.
France-based ATR, which has recently supplied aircraft to Alliance Air, considers India a strategic market in the Asian region. Its senior vice-president, Paolo Revelli-Beaumont, said: “So far as market potential for our company is considered, India’s importance is greater than China.”
The ATR, in association with HAL, has submitted a joint proposal to provide state-of-the-art turboprop aircraft for the coast guards.
The Hindustan Times said the fourth biennial aerospace exposition, “Aero India-2003”, beginning from Feb 5 at the Indian air force station in Yelahanka, Bangalore, will see participation by major companies from UK, US, Israel, France, Russia, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Brazil, Belgium, Czech Republic and South Africa.
The paper said Rolls-Royce regarded India as its potential base for the Asian region. “We are exploring risk and revenue- sharing partnership with Indian companies,” its spokesman based in Paris said.
Dassault Aviation, the maker of Mirage fighter planes, with its proven use during the Kargil war, is quite optimistic about its relations with India.
It quoted the Portsmouth-based six billion dollars GKN Aerospace group company, FPT Industries, as saying it was looking forward to manufacture fuel cells and systems and helicopter flotation equipment in India.
“We are looking forward to a tie-up with HAL for technology transfer and planning to start manufacturing some of the items in India to cater to the regional needs,” GKN sales manager for South East Asia, Mark Parsons, said.
Dassault defence division’s international marketing manager Nicolas Renard said the company was likely to show its latest version of Mirage 2005 in the Aero India show.
“We see good business prospect for our company in India as it is showing a comparatively good industrial growth and an increase in number of passengers travelling by air,” he said, adding that the company was looking forward to strategic partnerships with Indian companies.
Earlier this week the Financial Express had reported that India and France could be coming closer in defence procurements as the Indian navy was likely to buy the Rafale M fighter aircraft from France instead of the Mig-29K offered by Russia with the Russian- built Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier.—Jay Enn