Aerospace Diary

Neelam Mathews May 16, 2014 Even as the US President,possibly, is weighing the wordage of a congratulatory letter to India's soon to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi, proactive 'India First Group' has written a note to NaMo, perhaps reverbrating the sentiments of the private sector in the US anxious to do business with India. Founder and CEO of the company Ron Sommers who spent a long stint with USIBC, writes from Washington apparently talking of what's uppermost in most minds- hope and change: Dear Sir: I write this congratulatory note with great excitement and anticipation. I can only imagine your sense of accomplishment. The hard work of three terms as Chief Minister and the hundreds of rallies carried out across India will now hopefully allow you some brief respite to reflect on the historic mandate delivered to you by the Indian electorate. Clearly, the people have voted for change -change from scandal, change from status quo, change for the hope of pr...

Posted by Neelam mathews           Feb 5, 2014 The U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) today launched its 14th Defense Executive Mission to DEFEXPO 2014, showing a continuity in the defense and security partnership between the United States and India, and building on the strong momentum of recent Pentagon-led efforts to co-produce and co-develop defense capabilities with India. USIBC’s Executive Mission is led by William Blair, President (Asia), Raytheon International Inc, and special military advisor and former Commander, U.S. Army Security Assistance Command, Brig. Gen. (Retd.) Chris Tucker, Vice President, Exelis Inc. USIBC brings the largest industry delegation to DEFEXPO 2014, comprised of over 20 senior executives from America’s premier aerospace & defense companies seeking to enhance industrial partnerships with India and to meet India’s growing security requirements, said a statement. Senior executives representing America’s top def...

AIN NEWS LIVE FROM AEROINDIA  »  2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS A C-17 heavy lifter was prominent among a large U.S. contingent of aircraft at this week's Aero India show. [Photo: Rakesh Mangaraj, Indian MoD.] February 8, 2013, 11:21 AM The U.S.-India Business Council coordinated a large  U.S.  industry delegation to this week’s Aero India show led by Lt.Gen. Jeff Kohler (Retd.), vice president of Boeing Military Aircraft and Vice Admiral (Retd.) Kevin Cosgriff, senior vice president for international business with Textron Systems. Defense sales to India from the  U.S.  have risen from an annual value of just $200 million in 2001 to over $14 billion today. “India’s defense modernization requirements and capacity building measures are vast, and reflect a growing need to secure critical infrastructure assets and defend sizeable borders, while securing their economic growth. The U.S industry leads the way in of...

Neelam Mathews July 23, 2012  The much-awaited Defense Procurement Policy 2012 has been cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), Aerospace Diary learns. "The offsets policy will be released very soon. There were a few points that needed to be ironed out, a reason why it was late," a senior official in the MoD told Aerospace Diary. The policy will not be retroactive and will be valid from the date it is introduced, we are told. While the policy is expected to include  transfer of technology (TOT), vendors remain unclear how this will be implemented without any body to monitor it nor the method of payment for TOT. The question of IPR also needs to be addressed. The  2012 USIBC  advocacy agenda advancing the U.S. – India defense commercial relationship had asked for  India to formulate a robust offset policy that promotes transparency and  predictability, leading to a meaningful build-up of India’s indigenous industry capabilities  ...

OEMs Unhappy That Relaxed Indian Offset Policy Is Not Retroactive AINONLINE by    NEELAM MATHEWS July 12, 2012, 11:00 AM Recent upgrades to  India’s Defense Procurement Policy  ( DPP ) 2011 that are to be incorporated in  DPP  2012 could soon allow foreign vendors to buy from Indian companies assemblies that contain foreign content while getting credit for the entire assembly, as long as the content is paid for in rupees. The period of time allowed for the discharge of offset obligations is also being extended by two years, up to four, and that for the banking of offsets from five to seven years. A multiplier of factor 1.5 will be permitted through a non-equity route for offset obligations relating to direct exports, foreign direct investment, transfer of technology ( TOT ) or investment in kind. While the objective is to ensure establishment of a consistent, authoritative, empowered offsets agency serving as a ...

Posted by Neelam Mathews July 17, 2011 Following a series of blasts in Mumbai just days prior to the arrival in India of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC)  says there is an urgency to share technology, intelligence, as well as to mobilize resolve to track down and defeat a common enemy : terror.   The USIBC is organizing briefings on Tuesday, July 19, by U.S. companies for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's delegation, comprised of senior U.S. government officials, led by Under Secretary of State Robert Hormats. American companies will feature in their discussions, U.S. technologies, innovations, and counter-terrorism measures developed since the 9/11 terror strikes on American soil.  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected during the July 19 U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi to discuss a wide range of strategic issues affecting areas of common interest. U.S...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews July 11, 2011  Indian and US companies will be increasingly looking at innovative models to harness opportunities in aviation sector in aircraft and aircraft components, air traffic management, maintenance, repair and overhaul, aviation safety, security and capacity building, said Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao at the eighth meeting of the India-US High Technology Co-operation Group (HTCG) co-organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the US-India Business Council (USIBC).  Speaking on the occasion, US Under-Secretary of Industry, Department of Commerce, Eric Hirschhorn, said that there was a lot of interest on the issue of dual use technology even though a miniscule percentage - 1%-of US exports came under that category. Even in that, 99 percent of the applications of US companies for licences to export dual use items to India had been cleared, he said. ...

Aerospace Daily & Defense Report Sept 9, 2010 FUNDING & POLICY NEW DELHI — India, like the U.S.,needs an integrated homeland security strategy and cybersecurity is critical to the nation’s economic and financial growth, according to members of the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) attending India’s Homeland Security Exhibition and Conference (Indesec) here. With India and the U.S. sharing a common interest in defending against terrorist networks, preventing cyberattacks and protecting critical infrastructure, a formal working group is being established between the two countries on cybersecurity. USIBC also is hosting a series of meetings with the Indian government and the private sector to discuss collaboration on training, processes and technology, as well as sharing best practices in homeland security. “Lessons learned post-9/11 can be adapted to India,” says U.S. Coast Guard Adm. (ret.) James Loy, who is now senior counselor at the Cohen Group consultancy. “Deep...