Sunday, February 13 2005 17:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: India wooed global aerospace firms to "outsource" aeronautical products from its industry at the Aero India air show that concluded today (Feb 13, 2005), while the nearly $ 2 billion deals announced in the five-day event showed India was not just a huge market for military aircraft but also civil air transport to ferry its huge population.

Reflecting the growing equations between India and United States, the largest ever American aircraft industry delegation took part in the show, while its biggest civil aircraft maker Boeing Corp announced a $ 1.26 billion order to sell 20 passenger jets to SpiceJet airline, to make its first foray into the fast growing budget carrier market in India.

Both Boeing and European rival Airbus Industrie are bullish on growth in India's passenger airline market that is expected to buy at least 100 jets in two years, as the largest US military aircraft maker Lockheed Martin made its pitch at the event to hard sell F-16 falcon fighter against rivals from France, Sweden and Russia to sell 125 fighter jets to the Indian Air Force.

IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi said the IAF will soon sign a Rs 4,000 crore contract to buy 40 Tejas, the home-grown light combat aircraft from aerospace firm Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), while HAL and DRDO announced plans to build each of their own version of indigenous Advanced Jet Trainer that can be used as a combat fighter.

Aero India attracted over 30,000 business visitors and about two lakh people witnessed the magnificent air display of various fighters and helicopters at the fifth edition of the show.

The event also demonstrated India's capabilities in building its own aircraft - Dhruv, the Advanced Light Helicopter, Tejas and the Intermediate Jet Trainer, which are being positioned as export products by the nation.

While a deal is expected for export of Dhruv to Chile, Tejas and the IJT are years away as they need to be certified and inducted into the Armed forces before being exported.

Bharat Dynamics Ltd and MBDA, Europe's missile producing consortium inked a deal to build in India, short-range Milan anti-tank missiles for both the Indian and French armies.

While HAL said it plans to build a twin-engine combat attack trainer (CAT), DRDO announced that it is planning a lead-in fighter trainer, a trimmed version of its LCA to train pilots, thereby negating Tyagi's appeal to researchers for collaborative effort in aircraft development in the country and "not duplicating efforts".

Three American aircraft - F-15 Eagle fighter, P3C-Orion maritime surveillance aircraft and the Hercules transporter were on static display, the first major US military presence in the Air show after 1998.

Nearly 380 companies, including 240 firms from 35 nations took part in the event billed as the largest air show in South Asia. The next edition of Aero India is to be held at the Yelahanka Air Station in February 2007.