India's state-run aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd is making efforts to get a substantial 'offset' business from Airbus Industrie in Indian Airlines' order for 43 aircraft.
"We are hoping to benefit from the purchase of the 43 aircraft by Indian Airlines from Airbus. We are looking at a substantial offset for HAL," HAL Chairman Ashok K Baweja told reporters in his first press conference on Saturday after taking over as HAL chairman.
He did not reveal the quantum of offset business HAL was looking for in the Rs 9,475 crore (Rs 94.75 billion) deal that was cleared by the Public Investment Board last November, but HAL officials indicated it to be in the order of 30 per cent of the value.
PIB has cleared IA's plans to buy a combination of 43 aircraft from the A-319, A-320 and A-321 series.
HAL last August signed its biggest export order of Rs 380 crore (Rs 3.80 billion) from Airbus for supply of 1,000 units of forward passenger doors for the A-319, A-320 and A-321 aircraft.
"We are looking at supply of aircraft components and systems to be exported from HAL and this would benefit the private industry substantially," Baweja said.
HAL, he said, had a book order of over Rs 18,000 crore (Rs 180 billion), including that of the Sukhoi30-MKI fighter, the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer, Tejas, the Light Combat Aircraft, Dhruv, the Advanced Light Helicopter and also an additional Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion) work for various aircraft upgrades of the Indian Armed forces.
Baweja said HAL was sourcing systems from private industry that would help the firm build aircraft faster.
