| New Delhi. The
technologydriven aerospace sector in India needs an investment of US$ 100 billion,
according to Air Chief Marshal F H Major. He told the first National
Seminar on Aerospace Technologies (N-SAT) that India needed new aircraft, equipment
and infrastructure over the next couple of decades, and that this would also entail
an offset opportunity of around $ 30 billion for the international and Indian
industry. This is the first time that a serving Chief of Air Staff of the
Indian Air Force has indicated the expenditure in the coming years in the aerospace
sector. IAF it self was under “transformation,” he said adding
that “the scale is simply immense.” “We are in varying stages
in the induction of a wide range of equipment which includes all types of aircraft,
weapons, missiles, sensors and communication equipment,” he said adding:
IAF had asked HAL to increase the indigenous production of SU 30 MKI aircraft
to more than 20/ year; the technical evaluation of the bids for 126 MRCAs was
over and the flight tests of the contenders should begin around February; and
heavy to medium and light transport aircraft as well as combat and transport helicopters
were being planned for acquisition. “We are looking for state-of-theart
equipment. Miniaturisation, sophisticated weaponry, sensors, electronic
warfare, communications, stealth, networking and a number of other sub-spheres
in the field of military aviation continuously and aggressively demand increasing
sophistication and refinement so as to continue to remain relevant, superior and
effective.” Saying that he was personally inviting the Indian and foreign
industry to cooperate in developing India’s aerospace production base, Air
Chief Marshal Major observed: “The Indian defence industry is now in the
process of emerging out of its long sheltered cocoon. Having been under the protection
of the Indian Government and the purview of the Public sector for long, it has
now been thrown open to the private sector as well. “The opportunity
is tremendous and the moment is just right.” | 
