Mahindra Satyam to collaborate with Saab

Mumbai : Mahindra Satyam today announced it plans to collaborate with defence and security company Saab to develop its operations in India for the global defense and homeland security market.

Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Mahindra Group said “This collaboration is a strategic step towards synergizing Mahindra Satyam’s unique strengths in mission critical systems, ERP, engineering services, avionics and integration and Mahindra Systech‘s manufacturing capabilities and engineering excellence. This would leverage Saab’s expertise in C4I programs, Network centric warfare, and special IT systems”

Mahindra Satyam and Saab have already initiated the setup of a Centre of Excellence for Network Centric Warfare (CoE – NCW), which will offer comprehensive skills and a repository of tools, systems, middleware, integration platforms and system showcases in the field of NCW. This will be a development centre for mission critical applications and C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) solutions for global opportunities accessible to either of the partners. The capabilities of the CoE shall also span in the area of homeland security where focus is planned on end to end security solutions. In the wake of Indian government’s large investment plans on nationwide security, this CoE’s homeland security expertise shall be targeted towards tapping this high potential market.

On this collaboration Åke Svensson, President and CEO for Saab said, “We view this relationship with Mahindra Satyam as a strategic meeting of two highly skilled teams believing in technical and engineering excellence.”

One of the activities under this initiative is that Mahindra Satyam and Saab will jointly address the Battlefield Management System (BMS) for the Indian Army. The solution for BMS, proposed by Saab, is field proven and deployed in many countries. Both parties intend to work together for Indian BMS program and explore globalization of artefacts co-developed. C P Gurnani, CEO, Mahindra Satyam and Ake Svensson, also signed a Memorandum of Understanding in this regard.

C P Gurnani said “Partnering with SAAB is a further reinforcement of Mahindra Satyam’s commitment to collaborate with market leaders in different segments and this relationship will jumpstart our foray in mission critical areas of defense. Our commitment in the domestic market will be reaffirmed by this collaboration and also set the stage to enter uncharted territories in the global arena”

With 13,300 employees, annual sales of SEK 23 billion, and 17 percent outlay in R&D, Saab is one of the major European defence and security players with a long history of association with Indian Defence. Saab develops and manufactures the Gripen combat aircraft, and other operations include command and control, electronic warfare, sensors, weapons, communications, etc. Today, the company has operations in several countries in Europe, as well as in South Africa, Australia and the U.S, and is continuing to expand its business operations globally.