US aviation and defence major Textron, which is looking at India as a major market in the coming years, on Tuesday named former HAL chief N R Mohanty as head of its operations in the country.
Making the announcement, Textron Inc vice-president Mary Howell said the firm expected to clock sales of $1 billion in India over the next five years.
"India is one of the main markets for future development," Howell said, adding Textron wanted to marry its "great technology" with the country's "great talent".
Bell Helicopter, one of Textron's brands, currently has 56 per cent of India's helicopter market and is in the race to sell 197 helicopters to the Indian Army. Once the contract is finalised, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will manufacture a majority of these helicopters under licence.
Bob Fitzpatrick, Bell's senior vice-president for sales, said the country's market for vertical lift aircraft was expected to touch $4
billion in the next two decades, mainly due to demand from sectors like oil exploration, air taxi and emergency medical services and law enforcement.
Mohanty said one of his first priorities would be to help Bell establish a facility with an Indian partner for training helicopter pilots and mechanics. Bell is currently in talks with several Indian firms and hopes to establish the training programme by the middle of this year.
Cessna Aircraft, another of Textron's brands, is expected to announce a sale of a fleet of training aircraft during the Aero India expo in Bangalore next month, said its senior vice-president (sales) Roger Whyte.