Indian-U.S. Joint Venture To Produce Radar, Surveillance Systems

India's automobile maker Mahindra & Mahindra has forged a joint venture with U.S. aviation communications equipment major Telephonics to produce radars, surveillance systems and communications solutions for the Indian military and civilian use. Mahindra & Mahindra already has a joint venture with the U.K.'s BAE Systems to build a variety of military vehicles in India. In the Telephonics joint venture, Mahindra & Mahindra will hold 74 percent equity and the U.S. company 26 percent, said Khutub Hai, chief executive of Mahindra Defence Systems, the defense arm of Mahindra & Mahindra. Under law, an overseas defense company can have no more than 26 percent equity in a joint venture in defense, and a request for approval of the venture will be made to the government this month, Khutub said. Apart from the radars, surveillance systems and friend-or-foe identification systems, the joint venture will manufacture air traffic management services, and equipment for homeland security and other emerging surveillance requirements.