India is critical to our international growth plans: Boeing

Washington: US aerospace giant Boeing has identified India as one of its top markets and critical to its international growth plans, eyeing the country's plans to buy fighter jets worth billions of dollars. The statement of Dennis Swanson, vice president, International Sales, Boeing Global Sales and Marketing came ahead of his visit to India's mega defence exhibition to be held in Lucknow from February 5-9.

In April, the Indian Air Force issued an initial tender to acquire 114 jets at a cost of around $18 billion, billed as one of the world's biggest military procurement in recent years. The top contenders for the deal include Lockheed's F-21, Boeing's F/A-18, Dassault Aviation's Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon, Russian aircraft Mig 35 and Saab's Gripen. "India is one of the top markets for Boeing and critical to our international growth plans.

As one of the fastest growing economies in the world, India offers growth and productivity opportunities, as well as talent and technology innovation advantages," Swanson said on Monday. Boeing has established a growing defence installation base, invested in manufacturing, skill development and engineering in India, and contributed to developing the aerospace and defence ecosystem that is being built on technology advancement and innovation, said Swanson, who is co-leading a high-powered delegation of US India Business Council to 'DefExpo 2020' along with David Sutton, director for the Indo-Pacific, Lockheed Martin International.