Eurofighter woos India with partner offer

The Eurofighter consortium is prepared to offer India a manufacturing role, as the international race intensifies to supply 126 jet fighters worth $11bn to New Delhi.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Bernhard Gerwert, chairman of Eurofighter’s supervisory board, said so-called work-share agreements – which determine what parts of the aircraft are made in the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy and support valuable high-tech jobs – would have to be adjusted if India bought the Typhoon multirole combat aircraft.

Speaking at the Bangalore air show on Thursday, Mr Gerwert said the manufacture of the aircraft would have to be “rebalanced” to meet the requirements of the world’s largest democracy, should it choose to become part of what he called “the Eurofighter family”.

“All of the partners will have to reduce content in Europe and shift to India,” he said.

In contrast to the terms surrounding the purchases of the Typhoon by Austria and Saudi Arabia, Mr Gerwert envisaged India becoming a “new industrial partner” to join the 400 European companies that make the Eurofighter.

Indian companies would become “significant manufacturing and engineering” partners contributing to the future development of the aircraft alongside Finmeccanica, BAE Systems and EADS.

Mr Gerwert forecast that as many as 20,000 jobs would be created in India.

The emphasis on industrial partnership reflects the importance of the deal to the future of the Typhoon after European government spending cuts.

The consortium is increasing efforts to persuade New Delhi to opt for Europe’s largest military collaboration as the hard-fought competition reaches a climax.

Eurofighter faces stiff competition. Saab’s JAS-39 Gripen, Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet, Dassault’s Rafale, Lockheed’s F-16 Super Viper and Russia’s MiG-35 are also vying for one of the world’s biggest current military contracts by offering their own offset, transfer of technology and price incentives.

P.V. Naik, head of the Indian Air Force, said he expected a decision on the aircraft to be made by September.