Kishore Jayaraman

India is in the process of replacing 50 percent of its ageing defence equipment. It is expected to spend $100-150 billion on defence modernisation programmes by 2022. This presents a huge opportunity for MNCs and SMEs to leverage the fast-growing aerospace and defence sector in the country.

As a leading industrial technology company, Rolls-Royce pioneers’ cutting-edge technologies that deliver the cleanest, safest and most competitive solutions to meet our planet’s vital power needs. Around the world, around the clock, our Defence business provides the power and support our customers need to fulfill their missions.

With Indian Air Force undergoing its modernisation programmes, Rolls-Royce is committed to providing it with the best value, and highest quality products possible. We will continue to support today’s fleets and strive to further increase their capability.

We are also keen to play a role in India’s indigenisation ambitions. Today, we are already nurturing skills, developing local supplier base and building capabilities, and going forward, we are ready to eventually embrace opportunities to co-develop and comanufacture for the growing aerospace and defence sector with the right Indian strategic partners.

We are committed to working more closely with our stakeholders to enable them to benefit from our innovative products and technologies.

A LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP

We have been associated with the Indian Armed Forces for over 85 years now. Our engines power various types of aircraft for defence forces - from combat and strike aircraft (the Jaguar, powered by the Adour Mk811) to trainers (Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer, powered by Adour Mk871) to strategic airlift aircraft (C-130J Hercules, powered by AE 2100) and even VVIP and Surveillance aircraft (ERJ145, powered by AE 3007). With about 750 engines across ten engine types in service with the Indian Armed Forces, we provide a wide range of support solutions ranging from the provision of 24 x 7 technical advices, through supplying spares and material, right up to MissionCare™ which provides a complete support solution to the customer and have been proven to maximise the number of engines available to fly while also significantly reducing the cost of support.

Our field service representatives (FSRs) work in close support with Armed Forces personnel to maximise the availability of engines on wings and provide on-ground technical advice directly to our customers, thereby drastically reducing maintenance and overhaul times.

Over the years, we have played a vital role in the development and transformation of India’s indigenous aerospace industry.

PARTNERING FOR FUTURE SUCCESSES

As India progresses towards a developed economy, it is embracing technology at an increasing pace across all spheres of industry, society and nation building. Specifically in the defence sector, the country’s aspiration to evolve from a regional power to a global power has led to creation of well-defined initiatives focused on indigenisation & self-reliance. Currently, the country is at the right juncture to build a vibrant local defence industry ecosystem that could support both domestic and export demand.

The vision for the future will be not just technology transfers and manufacturing but on creating a broader ecosystem that includes co-design, co-development, co-manufacturing, supply chain and support. This entails capability creation and skilling rather than just technology transfer and it is something that Rolls-Royce considers one of its core strengths.

Our global experience and best practises that stem from supporting 160 armed forces in over 100 countries gives us a unique opportunity to partner with India.

The writer is President, Rolls-Royce, India and South Asia.