India inks deal with BAE for 57 Hawk aircraft

Bangalore, Jul 28 (PTI) In a quantum jump for Indo-British
military ties, India on Wednesday inked a 700 million pound
(Rs 5,200 crore) deal for purchase of an additional 57 Hawk
Advanced Jet Trainer Aircraft from British Aerospace
Systems(BAE).
This is the second tranche of the purchase by India since
2004 when it had finalised a deal to buy 66 Hawks after 18
years of negotiations.
The signing ceremony at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
complex was witnessed by visting British Prime Minister David
Cameron, HAL Chairman and Managing Director Ashok Nayak and
Karnataka Minister for Home V S Acharya.
Cameron said he was delighted to witness the signing of
the deal.
"This is an outstanding example of India-UK defence and
industrial partnership. The agreement will bring significant
economic benefits to both our countries. It is evidence of our
new, commercial foreign policy in action," Cameron said on the
occasion.
Earlierspeaking at the IT major Infosys campus to
kickstart his maiden visit to India after assuming office in
May, Cameron said, "This is a trade mission, yes, but I prefer
to see it as my job's mission."
Of the 57 Hawks to be manufactured at HAL's facility, 40
would be inducted into IAF and 17 into the Navy, BAE System
Managing Director & Chief Executive (India) Andrew Gallagher
told reporters.
This is the first time that the Indian Navy is getting
Hawks, he said.
The deal was signed by HAL Dierector, Corporate Planning
P Sounder Rajan, BAE's Group Managing Director Guy Griffths
and Rolls-Royce Sales and Commercial Director Chris Awade.
Awade said Rolls-Royce, which supplies engines to BAE
sytems, would supply components to HAL which would produce
engines for Hawks.
The terms of the contract were also inked today, he said.
Under the first deal which involved purchase of 66 Hawks,
24 are to be flown from BAE and the remaining 42 manufactured
by HAL which has so far built 15 of them. PTI