State-run HAL currently manufactures the aircraft under license from BAE Systems for the Indian Air Force, Mint said.
MUMBAI (Reuters) - Britain's BAE Systems <BAES.L> is in talks with Indian aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to jointly make Hawk advanced jet trainers in India for the global market, the Mint newspaper reported on Tuesday.
State-run HAL currently manufactures the aircraft under license from BAE Systems for the Indian Air Force, Mint said.
The paper reported that HAL chairman Ashok K. Baweja said in an e-mail to it that both firms were doing a feasibility study for the joint venture, which would also focus on doing repair and overhaul of the Hawk aircraft, sold by BAE Systems worldwide.
Baweja did not elaborate further on the plans, the paper said.
!ADVERTISEMENT!Mint quoted an HAL spokesman saying the joint venture proposal was at an early stage. The spokesman declined to set a timetable for the feasibility study's completion.
The paper said it could not reach BAE Systems spokesman in the UK, where it is a public holiday on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Hiral Vora, Editing by John Mair)
