The United Kingdom is to work on combat air programmes customised to Indian specifications which will enhance capabilities in core technology areas as well as strengthen comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
UK Minister for Defence Procurement, Alex Chalk KC, told businessline at the just-held Aero India, . “We are committed to working with India to deepen our defence relationship to ensure mutual benefit. Our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will benefit people across both countries, supporting regional and global security and prosperity.”
As British aerospace company, Rollys Royce, jostles with Safran and GE to co-create an engine for the fifth generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), Chalk emphasised, “We stand steadfast in ensuring our defence offer is co-created to Indian specifications which will have sovereign Make-in-India capability”.
Rolls Royce is willing to offer Intellectual Property (IP) that it believes will help India to own up and export the combat engine, and develop capabilities in this core technology area, said the British company officials.
“We are offering an unprecedented co-creation model wherein the IP for the combat engine technology will rest with India, allowing future upgrades and exports, as well as enabling indigenous new engine development. Such co-creation will result in know-how and know-why being established in-country, and will naturally be followed by co-production and co-manufacturing opportunities. We also have a strong ecosystem of strategic local partnerships, suppliers, talent, digital solutions and service capabilities in India, to support such a programme,” said Alex Zino, Executive Vice President-Business Development and Future Programmes (Defence), Rolls-Royce.
Zino cited global examples of collabortion the UK has had with other countries for development of combat air programmes.
“The UK has a proven history of partnerships with other nations for successful programmes. These include the EJ200 (developed with Germany, Spain and Italy) and the ongoing next-generation Global Combat Air Programme (being developed in collaboration with Italy and Japan), wherein Rolls-Royce has played a critical role. With a legacy of successful technology collaborations and demonstrated technical know-how, the UK complements India’s own technical resources and capabilities for joint development,” Zinco added.
Late last year, a delegation of Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) visited Rolls Royce facility in Britain to explore possibility of co-creation of the AMCA engine to power indigenous fighter aircraft Tejas.
At the Aero India show held in Bengaluru, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had announced that AMCA engine will be produced in India which was later seconded by DRDO chairman Samir V Kamat. But, the government is still to finalise a global partner for the DRDO for co-development of the engine.
Rolls-Royce Marine North America Inc, meanwhile, has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kalyani Strategic Service Limited (KSSL) to give the Indian partner an opportunity to become an in-country provider for propulsion systems for warships.