| Ever
since India opened doors to US equipment following a declaration by Washington
to regard India as an emerging global power in 2005, India has already bought
some $10 billion worth of equipment from the US, mostly from Boeing. The company
has delivered all the 10 C 17 Globemaster III aircraft ordered by IAF along with
training and maintenance paraphernalia on time, and seven of the eight P8-I maritime
reconnaissance aircraft for the Indian Navy, which describes them as Long Range
Maritime Reconnaissance (LRMR) aircraft. The last of the lot is due later this
year, again as on agreed schedule. Shelley, as she is known by her first
name, was hopeful of India signing the repeat order for four more P8-Is, as well
as for the 22 Apache AH 64E combat helicopters and 15 CH 47 Chinooks for the Indian
Air Force (IAF). Sure enough, she arrived in New Delhi just as the Ministry
of Defence (MoD) accorded its sanction for the remaining four P8-Is on July14.
Boeing has strong tie-ups with Tatas and Dynamatic Technologies, and also
with HAL. All the three companies supply components for some of its aircraft.
TAL Manufacturing, one of the Tata companies, makes the floor beams for Boeing
787-9, which the company has advertised in newspapers as the backbone of its newest
jetliner. 
Shelley
visited the Tata facilities in Hyderabad July 15, and signed a framework agreement
with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. (TASL) to collaborate in aerospace and defense
manufacturing and potential integrated systems development opportunities, including
unmanned aerial vehicles. Boeing has been pushing its small, but widely
used drone ScanEagle for the Indian Navy, and either this or some similar system
could be Made in India. “The two companies intend to access markets jointly for
products and platforms developed together by Boeing and TASL,” it was announced.
The cooperative manufacturing agreement, in line with Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’s Make in India policy, was signed by Shelley and Sukaran Singh, Managing
Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) of TASL. TASL already has
a contract to manufacture aero-structures for Boeing’s heavy lift CH-47 Chinook
and AH-6i – a small, light and agile – helicopters. Shelley observed at
the signing: “This agreement with TASL is significant because it demonstrates
Boeing’s commitment to expanding its aerospace manufacturing footprint in India.”
Pratyush Kumar, President for Boeing India, said: As we step into our 100th
year in business, a new aerospace partnership with India is the perfect milestone
to accelerate the momentum we have generated for making in India. It is noteworthy
that TASL will produce Chinook helicopter parts in India even before the procurement
contract is signed with the Indian Government. Significantly, Shelley succeeded
Boeing’s old India-expert Chris Chadwick, who is now President of the Boeing Defense,
Space and Security. Chris coordinated the Boeing campaign in India from his office
in St Louis, scoring more than $6.5 billion worth of sales. The only aircraft
that Boeing couldn’t sell was the F/A 18 Super Hornet to IAF. But Boeing’s
century-old history is full of innovations, pioneering, impressive and inspiring.
Boeing has big presence in both civil and military aviation as well as space.
Boeing has also been the backbone of US space ventures. The famous space shuttle
was a Boeing contribution although other US defence majors were also involved
in the overall programme. Boeing retains its lead role for NASA’s future ventures.
There has been some talk a few years ago of Boeing offering cryogenic tank
technology – not engines – and some level of space technology for India’s manned
space flights. Any updates in this regard are not known. But last year,
Boeing had agreed to give India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) a transonic wind tunnel for testing aircraft in offsets for the C 17 deal.
Details are not known. Ms Lavender is believed to have met top Indian officials
also, but not much has been disclosed. It was her first visit, and hopefully,
she has struck good equations with both Indian military and industry leaders.
Business is always about quality of products on the one hand and building personal
equations on the other. 
As
one of the most powerful ladies in the world, Shelley literally calls the shots;
what Boeing is delivering under her leadership, will determine the course of war,
and peace or punishment for many in the world. Shelley is in-charge for
various Boeing systems for Mobility, Surveillance and Engagement, Global Strike,
Unmanned Systems and weapons. They include aircraft with electronic warfare capability
like the EA 18G Growler, F/A 18 Super Hornet and F 15 Eagle. The V 22 vertical
lift helicraft also flies to her directions. The V 22 takes off and lands like
a helicopter but can fly like an aircraft by tilting the rotors. Indian
forces are interested but costs are reportedly prohibitive. My colleague
Sangeeta Saxena asked her about more C 17s for India. Gen Kohler said it seemed
unlikely as the aircraft’s factory is now closing, and perhaps there is only one
aircraft left for whosoever comes first. IAF had initially planned to buy 10 +
8 + 6 of these massive airlifters. But both Shelley and Gen Kohler were
hopeful of closing the deal for the Chinooks and Apaches rather soon. MoD sources
in New Delhi said the Government is working on the proposal, and it is in the
last leg of procedural clearance. After IAF, the Indian Army has been cleared
to buy 39 Apaches of the same configuration as for IAF. The previous Army Chief,
Gen Bikram Singh, had told this writer that there was no need to redraft Army’s
General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQRs) and that as the helicopter was
well proven, and IAF was also buying it, it was appropriate for the Army to follow
on the same process. Lt Gen PK Bharali, Director General of the Army Aviation
Corps, was at the Paris Air Show along with officers from IAF and Cabinet Secretariat
to have a look at the contemporary systems being displayed at the show. The Army
is likely to place its order for the Apaches shortly after the Government accords
approval to IAF to buy this helicopter, as well as the Chinook, possibly well
before the Air Force Day on October 8. | 
