The manufacturers of Eurofighter ?Typhoon? fighter aircraft European Aeronautic Defence & Space (EADS) has invited India to join the company in building next-generation fighter Typhoon if it wins the $10 billion contract for 126 jets for the Indian Air Force.
This move is seen as an attempt to boost the chances of the Eurofighter winning the contract. The Eurofighter consortium comprises Alenia SpA of Italy?s Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems PLC (BA.LN) of the UK, and the Spanish and German units of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co, EADS Casa and EADS Germany.
?We are inviting India to become a partner for the further development of the Typhoon. Exports to third countries from India would be the logical outcome of this partnership,? Eurofighter campaign director Matthias Schmidlin said at a presentation here on Thursday. India is the first non-European country to be invited to join the consortium, a senior executive from the EADS said.
German ambassador to India Bernd M?tzelburg said, ?We all are here for a head start. This project is much more than the combat aircraft. This is ?comprehensive engagement? with
India, a comprehensive engagement of the four nations with India.? According to Mutzelburg, the whole project of the Eurofighter inviting India to be the fifth partner is about giving substance to the India-EU strategic partnership.
Said Gonzalo Ortiz, deputy head of mission, embassy of Spain, New Delhi, ?This project is a clear indication of our attempts to get India as a big partner in not only defence but in areas like scientific research in both civil and military sector.?
Infact, a lot of Spanish defence companies are interested in partnerships with India and some of them have already set up there offices here, said Ignacio Prieto, counselor, embassy of Spain.
