Keen to cast off the ghost of the Bofors kickbacks scam, Sweden has proposed new avenues of defence cooperation to India, including joint development of jet fighters and submarines.
"The Swedish government is proposing to invest in Gripen fighters and wants India to take an investment stake in jointly developing these new generation fighters," visiting Swedish Vice Minister for Defence H G Wessburg said.
Gripen is one of six jets vying for India's biggest ever global tender worth over Rs 42,000 crore ($10 billion) for the purchase of 126 fighter aircraft.
Gripen is made by Swedish major SAAB International, which recently made its first overseas sales of the jet to South Africa and some European nations.
"Stockholm's offer is not related to the Indian Air Force's request for proposals," Wessburg told PTI, affirming that Sweden wanted broad-based cooperation in defence research and development."We are looking to develop a long-term strategic partnership with India," Wessburg said, adding that Sweden had no hesitation in transferring even the technology for frontline weapon systems.
If New Delhi wants to diversify its military supplies from a limited group of nations, Stockholm will be keen to offers its expertise, he said.
Besides the fighters, Sweden is also offering India its expertise for developing submarines and unmanned aerial combat vehicles, which it is currently producing with France.
Sweden's Kockums submarines are among the front-ranking conventional submarines in the world.
To give substance to its intents, Sweden has proposed a wide ranging memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation. The MOU was handed over to top defence ministry officials by Wessburg after his meeting with Defence Secretary Vijay Singh.
