Sweden’s Saab To Tie Up With Adani Group To Manufacture Single-Engine Fighter Jets In India

Saab AB of Sweden, makers of Gripen fighter jets, and Gautam Adani-led Adani Group are entering into a partnership to manufacture single-engine fighter jets in India under the strategic partnership model, Reuters has reported.

The Adani Group entered the defence business in 2015 in a joint venture with Israeli firm called Adani-Elbit Advanced Systems India Ltd, showcasing its Israeli-made Hermes 900 multi-role unmanned aerial system at Aero India 2015.

The two will come together to compete with Lockheed Martin Corp, the maker of F-16 jets, that has tied up with the Tata Group in the race for India’s next multi-billion fighter jet order. Lockheed Martin and Saab have shown their interest in bringing their production lines to India. The Indian Air Force, as reported by the Indian Express today (1 September), will soon issue a Request for Information in a couple of months.

The deal, apart from filling the critical gap in India’s fighter inventory, will give India’s private sector firms an opportunity to become a part of the global supply chain. Last September, India had signed a deal with Dassault for supply of 36 Rafale fighter jets, which in turn entered into a partnership with Reliance, giving another Indian firm the opportunity to develop critical capabilities and helping India create a world-class indigenous aeronautical base that the country has struggled to build for decades.

According to Reuters, the partnership will be publicly announced on Friday at Saab’s press conference.