Eurocopter's billion dollar push in India

Mumbai: Eurocopter, a wholly owned subsidiary of European aerospace major EDAS, and the world's largest civil and military helicopter manufacturer, is set to invest over $1 billion in India over the next two years. According to a report posted on website of the Business Standard, the company would appear to have already bid for orders of over 500 helicopters for the Indian Army, Navy and the Air Force.

According to the report, the company has also indicated that it is in the verge of setting up an Indian subsidiary, a helicopter training school and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre for helicopters in the country. The MRO will also be a hub for Asia and take care of all requirements of flight engineering and repair.

Eurocopter sales officials have been quoted as saying that the company was bidding for light and 10-tonne helicopters for the Army, Navy and Air Force along with domestic defence major Hindustan Aeronautical Ltd. According to these officials, the company has bid for 260 single-engine high-altitude light reconnaissance helicopters for the Army, of which the first 60 would be delivered directly by it while the remaining would be manufactured in partnership with HAL.

The company is also bidding for VIP helicopter contracts for the Indian Air Force and is in talks with corporate houses for VIP travel and offshore transportation.