India wants US certification for its aviation products

NEW DELHI: India is stepping up efforts to break into the big league of global aviation. While it is keen to enter aircraft production with Airbus, talks are now on between US and Indian authorities to get American certification for aviation products made here.

According to sources, US' Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and some other agencies are in talks with DGCA and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Bangalore, for certifying Indian products under a "Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement" (BASA).

Once an Indian product gets a certification under BASA, it can be sold globally. Under BASA, the two countries will mutually agree to certify each other's aeronautic/aviation products.

US was initially reluctant over BASA, but agreed to come to table later, after getting assurance that it would be able to impose non-tariff barriers. While India is keen to enter aircraft production, sources said the offset (benefit from a deal) arising out of purchases from European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) could be used for putting up assembly units for medium size civil transport aircraft. A beginning could be made with up to 70-seater ATRs.

"The first step is to begin manufacture under licence of the original manufacturer by either a government agency or a venture with private players. While in the beginning, the small planes could be used to meet regional airlines' demand, having a US certification for those products would open market all over the world," said sources.

Airbus and Boeing have placed record orders in past three years with Indian carriers. With such a huge orderbook, India now wants to move to the next stage, to become an aircraft manufacturing centre.

This urgency also arises from the fact that China has already managed to get Boeing and Airbus to set up manufacturing units there.