Offset clause has to evolve: Mulford

The offset clause in the Indian defence procurement policy is fairly restrictive and it has to evolve, said David C Mulford, US Ambassador to India. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, he said, "Defence sales are just one element of our growing relationship. Private sector companies from the US are building long-term partnerships with India to supply and manufacture jointly the equipment and technology the country is looking for."

Airbus in A380 talks with 2 carriers

Airbus Industrie is in preliminary talks with two more domestic carriers to sell its latest A380 aircraft. The firm has already got orders for five of these aircraft from Kingfisher Airlines and the delivery is expected to start from late 2010 or early 2011. According to Kiran Rao, executive vice-president, marketing and contracts, Airbus, the Indian market size will grow to such an extent by 2025 that it would require 50 A380s.

Airbus is also in advanced stages of discussions with an airline operator and a financial investor to set up an MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) unit in India.

HAL places $100 mn GE engine order

Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) has placed an order of 24 F404-GE-IN20 after-burning engines manufactured by GE Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric Company, to power the first operational squadron of Tejas fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The value of the order is in excess of $100 million.

The defence PSU had in 2004 purchased 17 F404-GE-IN20 engines to power a limited series of operational production aircraft and naval prototypes. Earlier this year, the F404-GE-IN20 was trial-installed in light combat aircraft (LCA) as part of the final evaluations towards flight testing, scheduled for mid-2007. The engine has completed 330 hours of accelerated mission testing, which is the equivalent of 1,000 hours of flight operation.