Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Boeing will establish a defence and aerospace manufacturing facility at Hyderabad, reported IANS. The facility will be one of India's first big foreign investments in manufacturing under the Make in India initiative.
The foundation-laying ceremony of the joint venture, Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TABL), was held at the aerospace special economic zone (SEZ) in Adibatla on the suburbs of Hyderabad city on Saturday.
"The joint venture between Tata and Boeing is a significant step in developing India's capabilities for aerospace and defence manufacturing and becoming a global exporter. This is a clear example of the significant progress made towards Make in India for defence," Manohar Parrikar, India's defence minister, was quoted as saying by the Business Line.
The facility, once fully established, will be Boeing's only manufacturing centre in the world building fuselages of AH-64 Apache helicopters. AH-64 is currently the world's most advanced multirole combat helicopter used by the U.S. forces and 15 other countries, including India.
According to a framework agreement signed in November 2015, the facility alongside co-producing AH-64 choppers, will also collaborate on other aerostructures, and seek development and life cycle management of integrated systems in the aerospace, including unmanned aerial vehicles, said Business Line.
TASL, a subsidiary of Tata Sons, has already signed contracts to manufacture aerostructures for Boeing's other aircraft like AH-6i helicopters and CH-47 Chinook. The company has also partnered with other big players like Lockheed Martin, Airbus, Ruag and Sikorsky.
Boeing, on the other hand, is the world's largest aerospace manufacturing company. A number one in production of commercial jetliners, it also manufactures defence, space and security systems.
