By Dennis D. Swanson Vice President, International Sales Defense, Space & Security Boeing

Aerospace is a global industry and Boeing continues to tap into talent in the US, India, and around the world to ensure that our products and services deliver the high performance and affordability our customers expect. As one of the fastest growing economies in the world, India offers growth and productivity opportunities for Boeing. Boeing has made calculated investments to grow the installed defense base and increase the manufacturing, skill development and engineering scale in-country.

India is one of the largest defense markets for Boeing. When I talk about Boeing and India, I like to talk about firsts. India was the first International customer for P-8I aircraft to the Indian Navy. India is the largest International operator of C-17s outside the US, and The Harpoon missile was the first weapon system integrated on an Indian designed and built fighter (Jaguar).

Today, backed by increasing cooperation between the US and Indian governments these products and services – and the AH-64 Apaches and H-47 Chinooks that have been inducted in India – are significantly contributing to a closer security partnership and increased defense trade. Of the more than $16 billion defense trade between the two countries, Boeing’s defense business constitutes 75 per cent of that share in India.

Over the last 10 years, we have seen great positive energy and strong participation across our governments. An expanded partnership between the United States and India allows us to create greater prosperity for both our nations and stand as mutually reinforcing engines of growth and innovation.

The defense cooperation environment between the two governments has changed considerably in the last few years. You see more cooperation in areas such as joint military exercises, technology transfer, collaboration through co-production, Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) and the renewal of the defense agreement for another 10 years by Congress.

Maritime security in the context of the military-to-military relationship has significant potential and is the surest foothold to advance the broader security agenda and realize the value of being Major Defense Partner in the near-term. The Malabar military exercises and the revival of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, the Quad, are a natural fit for collaboration. The utilization of the P-8 fleet for missions in the Indian Ocean region is another way. Collaboration and engagement via the DTTI Carrier Working Group will facilitate the exchange of ideas related to carrier operations and the potential for consulting on future design. There is strong potential for Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet to be an anchor of maritime cooperation between the two navies and transition away from Russian fighters.

Going forward, we anticipate significant international opportunities and campaigns in India, the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions and around the globe for fighters, vertical lift helicopters, attack helicopters, tanker refuelers and maritime reconnaissance capabilities with our P-8 and autonomous offerings. Not to mention the growth of our services business and the value Boeing is able to provide through the lifecycle of its products.

And like I mentioned, India is front and center of those opportunities with the armed services having invested in advanced capabilities for now and the future. We look forward to continue engaging with the Prime Minister Modi and his government, with our armed services customers on their future requirements and with our Indian partners and suppliers – who are absolutely critical to helping us build India’s future aerospace ecosystem.