Tatas deny talks being held with Embraer: report
19 Apr 2008
Mumbai: Indian conglomerate, the Tata Group, has denied reports that it intends to do work for Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer. Unattributed reports had recently emerged that the Group had entered into talks with Embraer with a view to producing its aircraft in India. (See: Tata's in JV talks with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer: report)
Now aviation industry sources say that Tata Sons in Mumbai have denied the report and characterised it as being ''completely untrue and baseless.'' Embraer spokesperson have refused to comment on the development as well.
Though Indian civil aviation is completely dominated by Airbus, Boeing and ATR aircraft, Embraer has Indian regional carrier, Paramount Airways, as a customer. Paramount, at last count, operates five Embraer regional jets.
Tata is a diversified group with businesses in disparate industry sectors such as car manufacturing, financial services, IT and tea.
It is the company that founded Air India, which was nationalised and went on to become India's flag carrier.
In recent months Tata has made major announcements regarding its involvement with the aerospace sector. In February it announced an understanding with Sikorsky to manufacture cabins for the S-92 helicopters as well as a memorandum of understanding with Israel Aerospace Industries to manufacture defence and aerospace products.
In the same month it also signed an agreement with Boeing to establish a joint venture in India that would make components for Boeing's military aircraft and eventually its commercial aircraft. In addition, group company Tata Motors, recently in the news for taking over Jaguar and Land Rover, announced it would be making titanium and composite floor beams for Boeing 787s.
