Boeing, Tata ink deal, announce manufacturing partnership to build aerospace kit

Boeing Co and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd have agreed to work together on manufacturing aerospace and defence equipment including unmanned aerial vehicles, the US company said on Wednesday.

Boeing said in a statement that the two firms intend to sell into markets products that they have jointly developed.

Tata Advanced Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, focused on providing integrated solutions for aerospace, defence, and homeland security. Other Tata group companies, Tata Advanced Materials Ltd (TAML) and TAL Manufacturing Solutions (TAL), would also be supplying important components to Boeing.

The agreement was signed by Shelley Lavender, president of Boeing Military Aircraft and Sukaran Singh, managing director and chief executive officer of TASL. TASL already has a contract to manufacture aerostructures for Boeing's CH-47 Chinook and AH-6i helicopters.

The Narendra Modi-led government has been trying to push the 'Make in India' agenda quite strongly since its launch by trying to encourage more companies to manufacture in India and boost skilled employment, particularly in defence.