Establishing new partnerships with Indian companies is the underlying goal of the British presence at Aero India, says Richard Paniguian, head of UK Trade & Investment's Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO).
Paniguian hails the more than 50-year presence in India that firms such as BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce can refer to. But while the pair enjoyed a major business success in the country last year with a follow-on deal for 57 Hawk advanced jet trainers, he notes: "Being open for business doesn't just mean something transactional. Partnership is all about sharing technology-rich opportunities in defence, but also in security."
With India, "the pipeline is full of opportunity", he says.
One new example of such a relationship covers a letter of agreement that the nations will sign soon to link the activities of their state defence research bodies. The UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation will co-operate on around 12 projects of mutual interest in different technology areas.
Meanwhile, UKTI DSO regional director Alan Malpas invited Indian companies to pursue fresh business opportunities in the UK, saying it has "one of the most open defence markets in the world".
Source: Flight Daily News
