Our partnership is enduring and not transactional, says Heidi Grant

The defence relationship between India and the United States, the world's largest and oldest democracies, over the years has become a “trusted one,” a former top Pentagon official and now a senior Boeing executive has said.

Heidi Grant, president, business development, defence, space and security, global services, Boeing, told PTI on Wednesday that Boeing's investments in India's aerospace infrastructure, defence capabilities, manufacturing, engineering and services, skill development and innovation will only continue to grow in the coming years.

“When I am asked about what I am most proud of during my years at the Pentagon, I say I'm proud of my relationship with India,” she said.

“I believe the defence relationship between the US and India has become a trusted one, starting with the C-17 which became a symbol of that relationship. Look at how India is using their C-17s for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions – that has lifted up the Indian Air Force and India's Ministry of Defence's reputation globally and with the Indian public on how they're using their defence assets – Chinooks, Apaches, P-8Is,” she said.

Grant recalled that during her time at the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the most amount of time she spent on any country was on India.

“In my previous role at the Defence Security Cooperation Agency, I recall spending more than 60 per cent of my time on India,” she said.

Last Sunday, she met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with Ted Colbert, president and CEO, Boeing Defence, Space & Security.

“We welcome the political and industry alignment and bipartisan support for a strong and growing relationship between the United States and India, world's largest democracies. It's exciting for us at Boeing to be part of this fundamental, transformational shift and we are committed to helping build India's defence aerospace and defence sector and industrial base,” she said.

Responding to a question on India's defence needs, Grant observed that operating different types of equipment from different countries is difficult.

“It's expensive and logistically challenging managing the infrastructure, part and sustainment. There needs to be a balance and the US would be a better way to go to fill in those areas or to replace some of those capabilities,” she said.

The investments that Boeing has made in India's aerospace infrastructure, defence capabilities, manufacturing, engineering and services, skill development and innovation will only continue to grow in the coming years, she said.

“We're excited about the transformative potential of our partnership with India,” she asserted.

“Our partnership is an enduring one, and not a transactional one,” Grant said.

“We've made the latest investment outside of India in Boeing's India Engineering and Technology Centre at USD 200 million and have a wholly-owned engineering and technology campus with future avionics manufacturing and assembly capability that is coming up in Bengaluru,” she said.

In support of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India', Boeing sources over USD1 billion from India and Boeing's Indian supply chain partners are exporting products made in India for the global aerospace market. Over 275 Indian suppliers deliver components, parts and complex assemblies for Boeing's commercial and defence aircraft, Grant said.

Courtesy: The Tribune India: 20th April , 2022