Swedish defence giant Saab has shown interest to be an “Indian company,” willing to transfer complete defence technology to the country, said Jan Widestrom, chairman and managing director of Saab India Technologies.
“I say that I want to be Indian. I want our country to be Indian, and in the right environment, we will be Indian,” he said. The statement comes as the aerospace and defence manufacturing company's JAS 39 Gripen aircraft competes for many of India's defence procurement deals while participating in the Defence Expo 2016 in Goa. This isn't the first time the company has shown an eagerness to be 'indianised'. Last month, company CEO and president, Hakan Buskhe said Saab was ready to not only set up a base in India and manufacture the Gripen aircraft, but was also ready for a “true transfer of technology”.
Widestrom said the government was working to make the environment right by measures such as raising the FDI limit to 49 per cent and unveiling a new defence procurement policy. Regarding the Gripen aircraft, Saab has offered to help India's Aeronautical Development Agency build the next generation version of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. “We definitely see big prospects for the future. We want to supply not only to the Indian market but also supply to other markets with India as the manufacturing base. We are offering our missile programmes and air defence programmes in line with the 'Make in India' concept,” Widerstrom added.
