Date: 13^th December 2013

Interview with: Mr. Anirudh Bansal, Director – Offsets & Industrial Cooperation Sales & Customer Relation, Eurocopter India
Conducted by: The Directors of ASTech-SYSTEMATIC India Hub, Ms. Foram Chikhal & Mrs. Shweta Pahuja

Please describe Eurocopter’s activities in India, some of their clients and partners.

• Eurocopter has established a subsidiary located in Delhi, dedicated to the understanding of Indian helicopter needs and to the implementation of industrial cooperation program with Indian industry.
• India has been a strategic country for Eurocopter with standing working relations with HAL since the early 1960’s. Starting with the licence production of Alouette III (Chetak) and later of Lama (Cheetah) helicopters, HAL is an illustration for a successful long term cooperation which has allowed to build and to sustain a local industry on grounds of cooperation, able to supply autonomously reliable equipment and services to the national forces over decades.
• In addition, the Dhruv programme which constitutes a major answer to many helicopter requirements of the armed forces of India was developed through the cooperation between HAL and Eurocopter (former MBB Germany).
• Through the future potential procurement by MoD of Reconnaissance & Surveillance Helicopters (RSH), Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH), Twin Engine Heavy Helicopter (TEHH), Navy Multirole Helicopters (NMRH) for IAF, Army, Coast Guard and Navy, Eurocopter has the ambition and firm intention to strengthen further its strategic and long lasting industrial relations with the Indian industry (including MSME’s) in its proposed helicopter platforms.

Could you please name some of the French SMEs with whom Eurocopter India is and has been working?

All major leading French companies supporting Eurocopter like Turbomeca, Thales, Sagem, Labinal, Messier Bugatti Dowty, Sefee, Cassidian, Diehl, AUSY, P3 VOITH, Recaero, MachAero, NSE industries, Studec, Sogitec, Axon cables have established business relationships with various Indian industries (including Indian SME’s) and thereby enabling the foundations for a long term partnership.

Could you please name some of the Indian companies with whom Eurocopter India is and has been working?

Eurocopter has already started a wide range of industrial discussions with many potential Indian companies (IOP- Indian Offset Partner) who are MSME’s also in order to enlarge the scope of potential industrial opportunities.

What kind of support would Eurocopter be able to provide to a French SME starting its business operations in India?

Eurocopter India subsidiary is supporting by bringing knowledge of Indian industrial competencies and capabilities to Eurocopter group to increase bridging between the Indian tech resources and Eurocopter global needs. Eurocopter India subsidiary is the vector of this policy with an aim to identify Indian industrial partners (IOP), support in execution of contracts, support technically and contractually the Indian industrial partners (IOP) to deliver high tech products and services at the requested level of quality especially for airborne systems.

What are the possible opportunities available for the SMEs in the offset domain? Would you offer them any particular advice?

• Manufactured civil & military aerospace integrated systems, sub-assemblies, parts and components to be fitted on Eurocopter helicopters:
  Airframes
  • Parts: Mechanical (gears, shafts, housing, …), Electrical (wiring harnesses, …), Composite, Hydraulics, Avionics Equipment (e.g. radio, communication systems, navigation systems, …)
  • Raw materials and semi-finished goods
• Support & Services activities related to:
  • Technical Publication
  • MRO
  • Technician Trainings
  • Design and Engineering Services

Before establishing their business operations in India, are there any specific cultural or business features that they should be aware of?

Thorough knowledge is required on the rules related to DPP (Defence Procurement Procedure), DIPP (Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion), FDI (Foreign Direct Investment), SCOMET (Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies), etc…

In your opinion, for a French SME located in India, who would be the decision-maker for Purchase - the Management in India or in France?

The Supply chain department of Eurocopter group in active consultation with all stake holders.