BY : Business-standard

To ink contracts with Indian companies for the $10 billion IAF jet deal.

Saab Gripen, one of the six contenders in the $10-billion medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal, is looking to sign up Indian companies for components.

On the back of a flurry of deals signed by Boeing IDS and Lockheed Martin during the DefExpo 2008, Saab Gripen now wants to grab a slice of the pie. It plans to sign up Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and the Tata Group for offsets for its Gripen fighter aircraft.

Speaking to Business Standard on the day of submitting its request for proposal (RFP) to the Indian Air Force (IAF), Ake Svensson, CEO and president of Saab AB, said, "We are considering tying up with HAL for the airframe and other components. We are also in talks with the Tata Group but it would be premature to specify the components."

A Tata Group company has already signed a deal with Boeing IDS for F/A-18 Super Hornet components, one of the other contenders. Svensson also mentioned that Saab is currently in talks with more than 100 Indian companies for offsets.

As a group, Saab AB is also considering a foray into civilian security in India. "We have successfully won contracts in Sweden to guard some nuclear installations. We don't see why our technologies can't be used here as well." Defence, though, stays high on the company's priority.

"We have opportunities for equipment, such as radars, armoured control systems, but we are putting our full focus behind the Gripen fighter for India."

Saab unveiled a new generation fighter called the Gripen NG early last week and hopes to pitch it for the Indian MMRCA deal as the Gripen IN.

"The aircraft has a new avionics suite, an Active Electronic Scanned Array (AESA) radar and an upgrade to General Electric 414 engine and weapons systems. It was developed based on self analysis as well as to meet some of our customer requirements, such as India."

"We think the Gripen is perfect for Indian requirements and complements your heavy class Sukhoi Su-30 well. Also, the single engine, coupled with high rate of reliability and low cost of maintenance make it a viable option for India," said Svensson.

Despite selling wares such as Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft to Pakistan in the recent past, the company doesn't consider its chances to be dim.

Svensson said, "We can sell to India as well as Pakistan. Each case is based on its merits and so we don't see why it's not possible."