Boeing in technology venture with India's Wipro, HCL

Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:41am EST
Source: reuters.com

MUMBAI, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Boeing Co has entered into an agreement with the Indian Institute of Science and software firms Wipro Technologies and HCL Technologies to develop wireless technologies and other network technologies.

The venture, Aerospace Network Research Consortium, is for a period of four years and can be extended based on "mutual interests", according to a joint statement.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Wipro Technologies is the software services arm of No. 3 software exporter Wipro Ltd.

"We have a great need for advanced, affordable aerospace network R&D," Naveed Hussain, vice president for engineering and technology, Boeing India, was cited as saying.

Boeing last year signed a 10-year manufacturing deal with India's state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd worth more than $1 billion.

Boeing has said it sees business worth $80 billion in India's commercial sector and $15 billion in the defence segment over 10-15 years.

(Reporting by Rina Chandran; Editing by Ranjit Gangadharan)