Tata Group, US aerospace company in talks for manufacture of defence equipment

Mumbai: The Tata group may look at bringing the products of Microbotics, a US aerospace research and development company, to India, according to an official of US- India Business Alliance.

Microbotics focuses on controls, instrumentation and navigation systems and specialises in Global Positioning System and Inertial Navigation System applications.

"There was a meeting between Tata and Microbotics officials to discuss opportunities that might exist in India for the US company," USIBA director Manohar Thyagaraj told media persons. Tata and Microbotics officials met in Mumbai on Monday and are scheduled to meet again in Bangalore on Thursday.

According to Thyagaraj, four companies from the US State of Virginia have come here to scout for business opportunities.

Officials from Microbotics would also be meeting officials from other defence public sector companies in Bangalore, Thyagaraj said.

US companies with unique technological solutions, such as Microbotics, are exploring the large opportunities that India may have to offer, Thyagaraj said. He also said that the US is looking at India as a long-term partner for security.

The US delegation would head to Bangalore tomorrow to meet officials of Biocon and Strides Acrolabs.

Many Indian private sector companies have entered the area of defence equipment manufacture.

Besides Tatas, others include Godrej, Mahindras and Larsen and Toubro.