shree835
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Airbus Group NV (AIR), aiming to pitch its C295 plane to the Indian Air Force, said it may set up a local assembly line for the military transport aircraft as it seeks to boost business outside the U.S. and Europe.
The planemaker will bid for the Indian contract next month, Christian Scherer, head of marketing and sales at Airbus Defense & Space, said by e-mail. India, the world’s largest arms importer, invited bids last year for 56 transport planes to replace its aging fleet of Avro aircraft.
“Clearly at present we have minimal revenues from the Indian defense market but the potential is enormous,” Scherer said. The C295 “has tremendous potential for industrial collaboration including the possibility of a final assembly line in India.”
Airbus is also eyeing an Indian Coast Guard order for transport aircraft, and plans to offer either the C295 or the smaller CN235, Scherer said. Over the past decade, India has boosted spending on upgrading military equipment as the nation looks beyond its traditional rivalry with Pakistan.
Scherer said Airbus is now “very close” to finalizing a contract to supply air-to-air refueling aircraft to the Indian military, a deal potentially valued at more than $1 billion. The company was named preferred bidder to supply six tankers, which are modified A330 passenger jets, in January last year.
Airbus Mulls India Assembly for C295 Plane in Military Pitch - Bloomberg
The planemaker will bid for the Indian contract next month, Christian Scherer, head of marketing and sales at Airbus Defense & Space, said by e-mail. India, the world’s largest arms importer, invited bids last year for 56 transport planes to replace its aging fleet of Avro aircraft.
“Clearly at present we have minimal revenues from the Indian defense market but the potential is enormous,” Scherer said. The C295 “has tremendous potential for industrial collaboration including the possibility of a final assembly line in India.”
Airbus is also eyeing an Indian Coast Guard order for transport aircraft, and plans to offer either the C295 or the smaller CN235, Scherer said. Over the past decade, India has boosted spending on upgrading military equipment as the nation looks beyond its traditional rivalry with Pakistan.
Scherer said Airbus is now “very close” to finalizing a contract to supply air-to-air refueling aircraft to the Indian military, a deal potentially valued at more than $1 billion. The company was named preferred bidder to supply six tankers, which are modified A330 passenger jets, in January last year.
Airbus Mulls India Assembly for C295 Plane in Military Pitch - Bloomberg