Defence ministry to review carbine procurement, missile system project with France

A high powered meeting to be steered by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is set to take a fresh look at the stuck close quarter carbine procurement plans of the Indian Army and take stock of the long pending short range surface to air missile system (SRSAM) that is to be jointly developed with France.
The MoD is likely to give a go ahead for a Rs 2300 cr order for constructing a new line of large survey vessels. A detailed update on the Maitri SRSAM project is likely to be discussed at the meeting as well.
Parrikar, who is currently reviewing the defence procurement process, is to be given a detailed briefing on the Close Quarter Carbine project and is also likely to discuss further reforms on the purchase process.
Several projects are expected to come up at the Defence Acquisition Committee (DAC) meeting on February 23, including a proposal for the construction of four large survey vessels. Sources have told ET that the defence ministry could give a go ahead for the project.
Also to be discussed is the much delayed procurement of new short range carbines for the army. The army has long retired its carbine and has been hunting for replacements for several years without success.
A tender was issued in 2010 to import 44, 600 carbines and trails were competed in 2013 with Beretta, IWI and Colt. However, the project has been stuck since then as only one of the three competitors – Israeli IWI – qualified as the `night sights’ of the other two failed.
A final decision on going ahead with the project is expected shortly with the Army exploring an option to separate `night sights’ with the main contract that will enable at least two of the three competitors to qualify. The sights could then be made separately by BEL. The other option would be to cancel the tender and start the acquisition process afresh.

ET

Mountain Warfare Against China: US Plans to Sell 145 Guns to India

 

The United States submitted a letter of acceptance to India’s Ministry of Defense (MOD) approving the procurement of 145 M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzers for the Indian Army, The Times of India reports.
According to sources within India’s MOD, the Pentagon’s letter of acceptance, submitted under the U.S. foreign military sales (FMS) program, will lead to a government-to-government contract within the next 180 days, should New Delhi accept the offer.
The $700 million deal has been in the making since 2008. It suffered from repeated delays and was close to being scrapped until the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived negotiations with the U.S. government and the defense contractor BAE Systems, the producer of the M777 155 mm 39-caliber towed gun, last year.
The Pentagon’s offer for the 145 lightweight howitzers–next to outlining delivery schedules, technical, material, and spares support–also includes a 30 percent offset clause under the “Make in India” initiative. This mandatory offset requires that 30 percent (around $210 million) of the contract value needs to be reinvested back into India’s indigenous aviation or defense sector.
“While the first lot will be delivered directly, the bulk of the 145 howitzers (manufactured by BAE Systems) will be assembled in India over three years,” according to a MOD source.
BAE Systems announced last week that it will partner with the Indian company Mahindra to fulfil the requirements of the “Make in India” clause and offer a higher degree of indigenization on the M777 lightweight howitzers.
“As a founding partner of defense manufacturing in India, BAE Systems is pleased to partner with Mahindra on our offer to develop an Assembly, Integration and Test facility in India. The facility is a fundamental part of the M777 production line,” said a representative of BAE Systems.
“A domestic Assembly, Integration and Test facility will enable the Indian Army to access maintenance, spares and support for the M777 locally. We will continue to support the two Governments to progress to contract agreement so that we may begin the process of ‘Make in India’ for M777.”
The M777 allegedly is the world’s first 155 millimeter howitzer weighing less than 10,000 pounds (4,218 kilograms). Partly made of titanium, the gun can be airlifted swiftly to high-altitude terrain and is ideally suited for mountain warfare. The M777 has a firing range of up to 25 kilometers.
The Indian Army plans to induct the new gun into its new 17 Mountain Strike Corps, which is to be stood up by 2021. The new corps, intended to counter China’s growing capabilities, originally was supposed to have a strength of 90,274 men. However, in April 2015, Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar announced that he would cut the size of the corps by more than half, to 35,000.
The Indian military has not been able to procure a new howitzer since 1987, despite the known utility of artillery in mountain warfare as seen in the 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan. As I reported previously, the Indian army’s 1999 Field Artillery Rationalization Plan aimed to acquire 2,800-3,000 155 mm/52-caliber guns of all kinds and 155 mm/39-caliber lightweight howitzers by 2027.

 thediplomat

Brazil looks to sell its basic trainers to IAF

 

Brazil’s Embraer company will be showcasing its basic trainer A-29 ‘Super Tucano’ at the forthcoming DefExpo in Goa for the first time.
Keeping in mind that the Super Tucano’s role will not be limited to training alone, the company has equipped the A-29 (the Super Tucano version for the Brazilian Air Force) with systems designed not only to comply with basic requirements, but also to keep pace with the continual changes taking place in the aircraft’s potential operating theatres.
Talking to FE, Brazilian ambassador to India Tovar da Silva Nunes said, “Embraer is already present in India and we will be getting the A 29 Super Tucano for the DefExpo next month.”
Embraer has been present in India both in the defence and civil sector, the envoy pointed out. According to an officer in the Indian Air Force (IAF), “It will be interesting if the Super Tucan light attack trainer is considered for atleast evaluating. While the plane is not very expensive it can be used by the armed forces carrying out counter insurgency operations.”
The A-29 of the Embraer is a powerful turboprop aircraft capable of carrying out a wide range of light air support (LAS) missions, even operating from unimproved runways. With more than 130 weapons configurations certified, it is equipped with advanced electronic, electro-optic, infrared and laser system technologies, as well as secure radio systems with data links and unrivalled munitions capacity.
“The Super Tucano is the only combat proven and fully operational light attack/advanced training aircraft in the global market. This makes it highly reliable and allows for an excellent cost-benefit ratio for a wide range of military missions, even operating from unpaved runways and in hostile environments,” said Nunes.
With more than 140 certified load configurations, it is equipped with advanced electronic, electro-optic,
infrared and laser system technologies, as well as secure radio systems with data links and unrivalled munitions capacity.
The Super Tucano is proving to be an innovative and cost-effective solution for demanding military organizations around the world. It is ideal for the missions and operational environment faced by a host of nations. The A-29 Super Tucano is currently used by twelve air forces in three continents. It was also selected by the US Air Force  for its LAS programme.

 financialexpress

India set to seal major power deal in Bangladesh, beating China

* A major breakthrough for India in Bangladesh
* India, China regional rivalry heating up
* Indian govt offers easy financing for power plant
* Bangladesh seen as part of China's "String of Pearls"
By Sankalp Phartiyal and Ruma Paul
NEW DELHI/DHAKA Feb 22 (Reuters) - A state-run Indian firm is poised to seal a contract to build a $1.6 billion power plant in Bangladesh, beating out a Chinese competitor in the latest commercial tussle between the region's two dominant powers.
After China's recent success in pushing development projects in Sri Lanka, a breakthrough in Bangladesh would be welcome news for Indian officials who have long fretted over Beijing's encroachment on to territory it considers its own back yard.
India believes Bangladesh is a part of a "String of Pearls" China is building across the Indian Ocean that stretches from Gwadar port in Pakistan to Djibouti on the African coast where it is building a naval base.
After years of negotiations, India's Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) will sign a contract to build a 1,320-megawatt (MW) thermal power station in Khulna in southern Bangladesh on Feb. 28, officials in New Delhi and Dhaka said.
 
China's Harbin Electric International Company Ltd, which has power projects in Iran, Turkey and Indonesia among others, lost the bid on technical grounds, said a Bangladesh official, speaking on condition of anonymity since he was not authorised to talk to journalists.
But Anwarul Azim, a spokesman for the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited, a joint venture set up to build the coal-fired plant, said BHEL was the lowest bidder.
The Indian government's external lending arm, the Exim Bank, has backed up BHEL's offer with nearly 70 percent funding of the project's costs at a soft interest rate of around 1 percent above Libor, the leading global benchmark for pricing transactions, an Indian government official said.
He declined to be named, saying the two sides were about to seal the contract.
On Friday, Libor stood at 1.13 percent for a dollar loan for a year.
"Exim is very positive about it, very bullish about it and looking to taking this forward," David Rasquinha, the bank's deputy managing director, told Reuters of the Khulna project.
It would be the biggest foreign project by an Indian power firm, eclipsing a plant already built in Rwanda and a planned one in Sri Lanka.
Officials at China's Harbin who dealt with the bid were not immediately available for comment.
But an employee in the after-sale service department said: "The company has been involved in many such tenders, it is very normal - either we win or lose the bids."

 .reuters

9% hike in defence budget allocation likely this year

India’s defence budget is likely to see a modest hike of 9% to Rs 2.68 lakh crore in 2016-17 while thepension bill alone may go up by over Rs 80, 000 crore.
Further the defence ministry is likely to surrender Rs 12,400 crore, or 16% of the Rs 77,406 crore earmarked for acquisitions under the capital head since several projects could not be processed on time by the three service headquarters, officials told ET.
If pensions and civil expenses of the ministry are also counted, the budget for 2016-17 will increase about 13% to Rs 3.5 lakh crore from Rs 3.1 lakh crore. The pension bill is set to zoom in the next fiscal owing to the expected implementation of the one rank, one pension plan. The total payout for the current fiscal is still unclear.
In 2015-16, Rs 77,406 crore of the Rs 93,675 crore allocated to the defence ministry was earmarked for acquisition of weapon systems for the three forces. The forces have not been able to exhaust their committed liabilities this year in some cases. Officials said this happened because the payments for previous procurements are to be disbursed after reaching certain milestones such as the delivery of a weapon system or a developmental achievement. “In some cases, deliveries or milestones could not be ensured on time by the departments.
This has resulted in some funds for committed liabilities also lapsing,” a senior official said on condition of anonymity. The government has brought in several reforms this year to speed up the acquisition process.

ET

India emerges as world’s largest arms importer, yet again

 

India has yet again emerged as the world’s largest buyer of weapons and military equipment, accounting for some 14 per cent of all such international imports, while Russia continues to hold a dominant position, accounting for some 70 per cent of all military equipment supplies to New Delhi.
Saudi Arabia, China, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Australia are the next four biggest global importers.
These trends have emerged from a report released on Monday by the Sweden-based think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The assessment was done for a five-year period (2011-2015).
Titled ‘Trends in international arms transfers-2015’, it says, “India was the largest importer of major arms in 2011–15, accounting for 14 per cent of the global total.”
Comparing two five years blocks – that is between 2006–10 and 2011–15 – the report says “imports (by India) increased by 90 per cent”.
During the period 2011–15 India’s imports were three times greater than those of either of its regional rivals: China and Pakistan. “A major reason for the high-level of imports is that India’s arms industry has so far largely failed to produce competitive indigenously designed weapons”, said the report. “During the period 2011–15 Russia supplied 70 per cent of India’s arms imports, the USA 14 per cent and Israel 4.5 per cent”.
The SIPRI predicts, “based on existing orders and weapons, Russia will remain, by a significant distance, the main supplier of major arms to India for the foreseeable future”.
Acquisitions from the US are a break with in the recent past. During the period studied by SIPRI, India procured fighter jets, a sea-borne  aircraft  carrier and  Mi-17-V5 helicopters from Russia; specialised transport planes, the C-130-J Super Hercules and the C-17 Globemaster along with maritime surveillance planes the Boeing P8-I from the US; UAV’s and radars from Israel.
The bigger story is, however, China, which, in a sign of an omnipresent threat, has been helping Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma in ramping up military prowess. China is now the third largest exporter of weapons ahead of traditional manufacturers Germany, France and UK. Its biggest benefactors are Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma — all having a shared boundary with India and could potentially cause trouble for New Delhi. The three countries accounted for 71 per cent of Beijing’s exports during 2011-2015.
New Delhi sees China’s exports to countries around India as a part of its long-term strategy of having a ‘string of pearls’ — a kind of military toe-hold in countries around India.
The five biggest exporters in five year block period 2011-2015 were the US, Russia, China, France and Germany. The US and Russia remained by far the largest exporters, accounting for 33 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively, of all global trade.

 Tribune News

Entire J&K including PoK is integral part of India: UK MP

 

A UK lawmaker Tuesday said that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, including parts “illegally controlled” by Pakistan, were integral part of India. “State of Jammu and Kashmir in totality is part of India an integral part of India and it needs to be reunited and should come under the dominion of India,” UK Member parliament and leader of ruling conservative party Robert John Blackman told reporters in Jammu during a meet the press function organized by the Press Club of Jammu.
Blackman said Pakistan must vacate the territory of Jammu and Kashmir “illegally occupied” by that country.
“The erstwhile ruler of Jammu and Kashmir had signed instrument of accession with India and given the control of the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir to India, it is Pakistan which illegally occupied its territory which it should hand back to India through negotiation,” he said.
Blackman said that as both the countries were nuclear power, so there was no question of both the nations for going on war for Kashmir, but Pakistan must itself vacate the territory and hand it over to India.
The lawmaker from the Harrow East constituency in England said that in the past Pakistan lobby had strong presence in the UK parliament but things have changed and people like him who are “friends of India” have been started speaking about India.
He said that the ties between India and the United Kingdom have grown stronger even since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over the reins of power in India and his last year’s “historic visit” to UK has further strengthened the bond.
Invoking the Gujarat model of development he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a vision to develop India as an economic and military power of the east and United Kingdom was ready to provide all possible support to India for attaining the goal.
He said Modi has been working tirelessly to take India to “greater heights”, he said.
He said India has been a victim of terrorism originating from Pakistani soil and it should take measures to rein in the “forces” that spread terrorism in countries like India.
Asked why UK does not declare Pakistan as a terrorist state, Blackman said he cannot speak on behalf of the UK government, but he was aware of the terrorist attacks that India faced and that originated from the Pakistani soil.
He said that UK government was aware of the terrorism being faced by India and it stands shoulder to shoulder with India to combat terrorism.

zeenews/pti

We are building jet engines: Baba Kalyani

 
Baba Kalyani, chairman and managing director of Bharat Forge, was visibly excited when Defence MinisterManohar Parrikar dropped in at his stall on Monday during the Make in India Week in Mumbai. On display was the Bharat 52, a long range artillery gun developed by the company. In an interview to Swaraj Baggonkar, he explains what Bharat Forge is doing in defence. Edited excerpts.
What are your plans for the defence business?
We are going in the direction that uses our core knowledge — material, material transformation, forging, machining, assembly, sub-systems. That’s where our expertise lies.
What are your investment plans?
We have a joint venture with SAAB for air defencesystems and a plant is coming up near Hyderabad.
What are your capabilities?
By building the artillery gun, we demonstrated our engineering capability. We are building jet engines — small ones, not as big as those by Rolls -Royce — for helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Is the jet engine indigenous?
The UAV engine we are doing indigenously. I have told my engineers in Pune that I want to see the engine in one year.
How much is your focus on the defence business?
Quite a lot. Take the gun programme, for instance. There are four programmes under procurement: the towed gun, conversion of the 130mm to 155mm, ultra-light howitzer, and the mounted gun. We are participating in all four programmes. I am sure we will win at least two.
Is the government moving as fast as companies would have liked?
Our defence minister is a very dynamic person. He is driving the ministry in the direction of the prime minister wants, which is indigenous capability.
Will Bharat Forge look for expertise outside India?
We are already in technical alliances. We have three joint ventures; we may go in for more. You can’t do everything yourself, it is not possible. There is involvement of electronics, radar and all kinds of things. We do not have that technology, at least not today. Anything to do with metal–forging, fabrication or machining–we can do. But, the idea is you make a product that is 95 per cent indigenous.
What will be the investment on all this?
Our strategy is to create building blocks for guns, air defence, aero engines and components. Artillery we can make entirely ourselves. As far as air defence systems are concerned, we are creating a hub in Hyderabad. In aero engines, we are making components for Rolls-Royce, Boeing and others.

 business-standard

US plans to sell M777 howitzers to India; deal to involve ‘Make in India’ component

 

The US has finalised a proposal to sell M777 ultra-light howitzers to India under a direct government-to-government deal, with Washington expected to send a formal ‘Letter of Acceptance’ this week. The light artillery gun deal, worth over $700 million, will also involve a significant ‘Make in India’ component with Mahindra expected to bag a major share of the work contract.
Sources have told ET that the LOA, which is the final step from the US in a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract like this, has been finalised and is to be presented to South Block this week. This would be followed by an acceptance from the Indian side and subsequently transfer of an advance after which deliveries of 145 guns would commence.
At least two M777 light howitzers are expected to be delivered to India this year as part of the deal so that the army can generate its ‘range tables’ – a calibration for the various types of Indian made ammunition that the guns would fire once in service.
The deal for M777 howitzers under the FMS route has been in process since 2008 and has seen several ups and downs, including the possibility of being scrapped. The contract was revived last year by the Modi government under a new deal that included aMake in India component.

economictimes

Boeing Gives More Work to India

Boeing and India’s Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) recently announced a joint venture that will manufacture aerostructures–initially for the AH-64 Apache helicopter. This followed a promise made by Boeing Chairman James McNerney when he visited India last summer. He spoke of partnerships and wanting to keep the initiative of manufacturing in India to continue, with Boeing as an involved partner. “I want to play,” he said.

In July, the two companies announced a strategic aerospace partnership to support the “Make in India” movement and collaborate on integrated systems-development opportunities, including unmanned aerial vehicles. The facility will be located at Hyderabad where TASL already has a components factory, and another facility where it manufactures cabins for Sikorsky’s S-92 helicopters. An industry official said that with 110 of the cabins delivered, Tier 1 supplier TASL is expected to draw on its experience as it works to supply materials for Boeing fuselages.
McNerney said Boeing was “much closer to having final assembly [of] Apache or Chinook helicopters [in India],” and AIN has found that India is likely to get some contracts for the Chinooks as well as Boeing’s MDhelicopters division.
Rahul Gangal, partner, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, told AIN, “This move signifies the increasing strength of India as a global supply hub in aerostructures. It also puts TASL in the next league of global aerospace Tier 1s.”
Boeing is furthering its commitment to accelerate its partnership with India, said Chris Chadwick, President andCEO, Boeing Defense, Space & Security. Sukaran Singh, managing director and CEO of TASL said in a statement that the company has the added advantage of taking on manufacturing and assembly of both aircraft and helicopters, “making it well-positioned for large-scale systems integration work in India’s aerospace and defense sector.”
Other Tata group companies, Tata Advanced Materials Ltd and TAL Manufacturing Solutions, have delivered power and mission equipment cabinets and auxiliary power unit door fairings for the P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft and floor beams for the Boeing 787-9.

 AIN ONLINE

Amid Pakistan row, India considers proposal to manufacture F-16 fighter jets under ‘Make in India’

Even as controversy has erupted on the transfer of eight F 16s to Pakistan by the US, Delhi has been considering a proposal to manufacture the fighter jets under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. In several recent meetings, including a high-level interaction in November last year in Washington, the aircraft have been offered for local production – both to meet Indian requirements and for exports.
The Lockheed Martin (LM) manufactured F 16 is one of the several fighters that has been proposed to be manufactured in India and is being actively pushed by Washington, senior officials told ET. It is also understood that LM had even raised the possibility of local manufacture during the meeting of one of its top executives with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.
India has showed its displeasure at the recent decision by Washington to transfer eight of the Block 52 variants of the fighter to Pakistan. It is still unclear on what impact this would have on proposals to manufacture US origin jets in India – defence giant Boeing has also shown keen interest in building F/A 18 Super Hornet fighters under the Make in Indiaplan.
The offer to make the F 16 in India was for a more advanced variant of the fighter that is being sold to Pakistan and was termed as the F 16 IN Super Viper. The aircraft was in contention of the now scrapped medium multirole combat aircraft contract for the Indian air force but was disqualified on technical grounds.
Besides the F/A 18 Super Hornet and the F 16IN Super Viper, the Indian government is considering at least two more proposals to make fighter jets in India. One offer on the table is from Sweden’s SAAB to transfer the Gripen fighter line to India. Another is a proposal by Airbus to create a ‘Eurofighter City’ in India that would produce its Eurofighter jet and generate thousands of jobs.

economictimes

Saab offers to make Gripen in India, with transfer of technology

Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab AB is ready to develop, manufacture and undertake the final assembly of its fighter jet Gripen in India, said Hakan Buskhe, president and chief executive, in an interview. “We could, with true ToT (transfer of technology), provide Indian Air Force with an Indian-built combat aircraft of the future, with technology of Gripen E (multi-role aircraft),” said Buskhe, who is in Mumbai to attend the Make in India week that began on 13 February. Edited excerpts:
India has cancelled the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) tender. What are the future prospects for Saab in India?
Gripen is the world’s leading single-engine aircraft and is of interest for the Indian government; and our true technology transfer programme fits very well into the government of India’s programme, Make in India. If there is an interest for Gripen, Gripen will be developed, produced and finally assembled in India.
Would you be open to manufacture Gripen fighter aircraft in India? If yes, what are the conditions?
Saab is not only offering to set up a base here but also help in the development of aerospace capability for the next 100 years. We could, with true ToT (transfer of technology), provide Indian Air Force with an Indian-built combat aircraft of the future, with technology of Gripen E. Saab has a ready-made blueprint for India that meets every aspect of India’s ambitions: an aircraft that is ahead of its contemporaries, a platform for building future aircraft based on what Indian engineers have already learned from various programmes and, most importantly, a ready-to roll “India Make Plan”.
Could you elaborate on ToT?
We are offering real technology transfer. Sweden does not attach strings to its high technology. Saab is committed to India and will deliver the best industrial cooperation and technology transfer over the life of the programme—providing what India’s armed forces and industry wants and needs. That is totally in line with the Make in India Initiative.
What is the kind of strategy adopted by Saab in India? What are the updates on existing joint ventures?
We have participated in a number of programmes with various arms of the defence forces and are quite pleased with the progress. We are quite confident our prospects in the two large air defence programmes—VHSORAD (very short-range air defence) and SRSAM (short range surface-to-air missile) where we have successfully completed the trials. We are now waiting for the next steps.
Saab has a wide portfolio of products and we are in dialogue with the armed forces and homeland security forces for a whole range of sophisticated equipment, including avionics, air defence systems, advanced surveillance and foliage penetrating radars, camouflage, battle management systems, ground combat systems, naval and coast guard systems, electronic warfare systems and communication equipment, among others.
Saab is currently pursuing many individual opportunities in the requirements of the Indian defence forces.
Who are your partners in India?
We work closely with partners such as Bharat Electronics Ltd, Hindustand Aeronautics Ltd and Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering Co. Ltd. Saab has a partnership with Indianeye Security Pvt. Ltd for supplying Agile Tactical Engagement Simulation (ATES) equipment to Indian armed forces, paramilitary, special forces and police.
Saab and Bharat Forge Ltd have signed an agreement to work together on the Indian Army air defence project VSHORAD. Also, Saab and Ashok Leyland Ltd have entered into an agreement to work together as partner for the Indian Army Air Defence project for the SRSAM based on the Saab BAMSE (ground based missile) system. Ashok Leyland will deliver high mobility vehicles for the BAMSE/SRSAM solution.
In 2012, Saab, in collaboration with Elcome Marine Services Pvt. Ltd (of Navi Mumbai), implemented the National Automatic Identification System on the Indian coastline for India’s Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL). The project involved setting up of sensors and equipment to help secure the entire Indian coastline.
Saab is also working with many suppliers of machinery and composite parts in India, including CIM Tools Pvt. Ltd (of Bengaluru), Tata Advanced Material Ltd and Aequs Pvt Ltd (former QUEST Global Manufacturing). These companies play a very valuable role in helping Saab develop, industrialize and manufacture complex airframe assemblies for Airbus SAS and Boeing Co. Our joint venture with Aequs manufactures and supplies assemblies for the global commercial aero structures market.
Saab India Technologies has set up the Saab India Technology Centre, a research and development centre, in partnership with Tech Mahindra Ltd in Hyderabad. It forms an important bridge for the transfer of the latest in defence technologies between India and Sweden.
These alliances will go a long way in helping Saab fulfil its vision—of becoming a true and genuine partner to India’s defence industry. We are committed to true transfer of technology and investing in the future of Indian defence industry and here to stay for the long haul to build an indigenous defence industry in India.
Any plans to buy equity stake in Indian companies?
Equity is a way of building business, not a means to deliver on a programme only. We have done that in the past and will of course communicate it if we do that in the future.
Why is India is an attractive market?
India is an attractive market for us just as there are other markets where Saab sees good opportunity, including Brazil, many countries in Europe and all of Asia-Pacific.
There is of course special promise in the Indian market given the large and varied requirement for modernization of equipment in tandem with the Make in India programme.
For instance, India will be the engine for the aerospace industry in the next half a century. Not merely for military aircraft but for virtually every category of aerospace: military and civilian helicopters and aircraft; unmanned aerial vehicles for military and homeland security purposes and so forth. We are equally convinced that in the decade ahead, India will have its own home-grown large aerospace company.
India is one of the most interesting markets for Saab. Additionally Saab has operations in 34 countries and have sold our products and solutions to over 100 countries in the world.

 livemint