A330 MRTT

 

C-295

 

H225M

The European aircraft consortium Airbus Group is eyeing big on India and in spite of frustrating experiences and dilatory attitudes of the Indian bureaucracy and defence leadership, the company remains hopeful of bagging many ambitious projects that is simply lying in store for them, but not yet matured. The Airbus Group India leadership is hopeful on many billion dollars projects, for which the company is offering Indian government to manufacture them under Make In India programme. These include the offer to transfer the Panther Helicopters assembly line to India and make India a global hub. The Group has also almost successfully negotiated the manufacture of C-295 transport aircraftin India. Indian MOD has already approved the acquisition of 56 Airbus C-295 transport planes. This will be built in partnership with the Tata Advanced Systems Airbus will assemble 40 of them and supply rest of them off the shelf.

Another lucrative deal, the Airbus MRTT-330 that has been cleared by the UPA led government in January 2013, but yet to see the light of the day. Group’s India President and Managing Director Pierre Bausset says that the company is waiting for guidance from the Indian Ministry of Defence for the final go ahead to clear the fineprints of the commercial agreement.

The Airbus is managing its India activitiesmostly from Bangalore from where 80 percent of the employees are engaged in high value engineering. Claimed Bausset, Collaboration is in our genes as European consortium 6000 staff are working for us. Huge capabilities exist in Bangalore. Said Bausset, “Made in India is a great opportunity to fulfil the defence needs you have in the defence sector. This is why Airbus helicopters has partnered with Mahindra Defence to establish in India a state of the art industrial cluster to locally produce and deliver - Panther ( AS 365MBe) in response to the 110 naval utility helicopters, Fennec ( H125M) 200 + reconnaissance and surveillance helicopters (RSH) and Caracal (H225M) for the foreseen 120+ naval multi role helicopters ( NMRH).

According to Bausset the Airbus Group and Mahindra Defence joint venture will set up a robust and efficient helicopter industrial base if the three above programmes become a reality. The Airbus intends to transfer state of the art technologies from Airbus helicopters and its suppliers. Enhance self reliance and competitiveness of the Indian helicopter manufacturing ecosystem. Enhance competitiveness in the life cycle management of helicopters together with Indian companies including DPSUs and MSMEs. Thus Private enterprise is the key to that success. Strategic and tactical needs with relevant technologies can be met with partnership approach. Baussetsaid, that is why what we buy in India we make in India.

Airbus has appointed Make In India Officer Ashish Saraf who will be primarily focused in Industry development through advance industry partnerships and forge new ones. Saraf said, “We intend to develop supply chain for metallic structures, Position India as key players in global ecosystem, We have defined a 3 step programme. We plan match making session between Airbus and Airbus big tier ones. Identify opportunities with Indian business for major programmes that we will have.”

First is the Panther Helicopter final assembly line, Establish in India a global hub for Panther supply. When we do set up final assembly line. We propose to set up supply chains for the manufacturers of components, which are likely to create skilled aerospace jobs for over 10,000 qualified youth.

According to Xavier Hay, the Head of the Airbus Helicopters, Our aim is to strengthen its position in the Indian helicopter market despite a challenging environment. Presently the Airbus has over 50 -percent of the registered civil and Para-public deliveries in India, The 2 H125 are the benchmark for high altitude operations. The Airbus has also offered H 225M Caracal 120 + Naval Multi Role Helicopter. Panther AS 365 MBe in response to 110 naval utility helicopter, Airbus helicopters is ready to support new segments in India besides Helicopter emergency medical services.

According to VenkatKatkuri, head of the Airbus Defence and Aerospace in India, ”The C-295W Aircraft, replacement for IAF 56 medium utility transport aircraft with Indian Partner Tata, is going through technical evaluation phase, the group is presently discussing with end customer and evaluation phase in near future and have submitted the proposals, Six MRTT A330 was selected by Indian government in January 2013, with nose and drogue capability, Acquisition stagnated at contract negotiation stage, Awaiting MODs guidance on next step.”

Venkat also informed, “We are glad to share that MRTT, which can refuel all frontline aircraft including Su-30MKI, has got good orders from France, Korea and Singapore, Royal Australian Air Force has given orders, also selected by Airforces of Netherlands, Saudi Arab and UAE. Asked about MMRCA Baussetsaid, MMRCA for Eurofighter is a closed business for us. We are moving ahead focusing on current campaigns.”

Bausset replied in response to a question that, regarding AWACS we are discussing with DRDO technical demonstrator with technical team of DRDO. Asked about the 49 percent FDI limit in defence sector, Bausset cautioned that 49 percent FDI limit in defence sector cannot fetch Indian industry or the right original equipment manufacturer that it is looking at under Make In India programme of the Government of India. Bausset also made it clear that the group will be able to invest in Indian defence sector only if they get contracts as it takes “two to tango;”