In order to maximise the opportunities for UK companies ADS has partnered in the setting up of two fully staffed offices in India. The office in New Delhi was established to focus mainly on the defence and security sectors and is a joint venture between ADS and UKTI, through their Overseas Market Information Scheme (OMIS).

In 2009 ADS established a second, cross sectoral office that compliments the New Delhi office. This Advanced Engineering office enables in country representatives to market advanced engineering companies in aerospace, automotive and advanced manufacture; to grow Indian knowledge of UK capability and to help UK companies to collaborate/partner with Indian companies, identified via OMIS work. The office is based in Bangalore, the heart of the aerospace and space sector in India.

Defence

India is among the top 10 Defence spenders in the world and is embarking on a major investment in new defence equipment and capabilities.  UK companies have benefited from this already (eg. BAE Systems supply of Hawk advanced jet trainers), but there is much more to do.

UK Defence exports to India are in general involve significant “Offset” to meet it's target for 30% of GDP to be derived from manufacturing (currently 16%) over the next 20 years. 

Only 13 Indian companies are fully licensed to bid on Indian government Defence contracts.  Several of these are actively looking for UK partners to build capacity and capability to take on offset work.

Civil Aerospace 

The increase in world aerospace requirements for low cost manufacturing is predicted to result in Indian participation in aerospace growing globally from US$20m in 2007 to over US$ 2bn by 2015. India is also predicted to grow its engineering services sector to US$5bn in the same period. A key requirement for the UK is to be able to establish partnerships with the appropriate Indian companies so that indigenous Indian companies can benefit from their growing aviation sector without this proving to be a barrier to UK company access in due course.

In the aerospace sector, Hindustan Aerospace is planning to outsource 35% of its manufacturing capacity to the local market, and is looking to international partnerships and expertise to help to undertake this.

Security

India is expected to spend US$10bn on Homeland Security over the next 2-3 years and India’s private security industry plans to invest US$12.3bn by 2016. Expenditure related to airport security is estimated to be in excess of US$3.2bn by 2016.

In the Cyber Security sector, India’s vibrant ICT sector needs a secure and strong corporate business environment and the UK can provide it.  E-commerce and online data protection and identity assurance is key and India recognises that the UK can offer much needed capabilities and skills.

Space

The successful launch of HYLAS (Highly Adaptable Satellite) in November, in reaching geostationary orbit on the European Ariane-5 V198 launch vehicle was also good news for ISRO and the Indian space sector because HYLAS was jointly built by ISRO/Antrix and EADS/Astrium for the UK’s Avanti Communications of U.K.

After HYLAS launched, ISROs Master Control Facility at Hassan took over the control and command operations of the satellite and successfully guided it to its geostationary orbit. The HYLAS Satellite remains in good health and in continuous radio-visibility from Hassan. This bodes well for future UK and European joint ventures with India and already discussions have begun between the respective industries and space agencies to determine a program of follow-up to HYLAS.