Airbus to offer India assembly to clinch C295 military plane order

[NEW DELHI] Airbus, aiming to pitch its C295 plane to the Indian Air Force, said it may set up a local assembly line for the military transport aircraft as it seeks to boost business outside the US and Europe.

The planemaker will bid for the Indian contract next month, Christian Scherer, head of marketing and sales at Airbus Defense & Space, said.

India, the world's largest arms importer, invited bids last year for 56 transport planes to replace its ageing fleet of Avro aircraft.

"Clearly at present we have minimal revenues from the Indian defence market but the potential is enormous,…