Rolta India announces joint venture with Thales

Rolta India, a leading provider of software/information technology based engineering and geospatial solutions and services to customers across the world, has announced on Thursday that it has formed a joint venture (JV) with Thales, France, a global electronics company serving Aerospace, Defence, and Security & Services markets worldwide.

Mr. K.K. Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, Rolta India Ltd., stated, “We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Thales to form this Joint Venture. This is a major event in the history of our company and will play an important role in our growth. Guided by a set of common values, this JV will share best practices through transfer of technology and bring in state-of-the-art products into our country, enabling us to serve the nation better and address emerging opportunities worldwide”.

Rolta will have a 51% stake in the new venture, while the French defence group will hold the 49% of the stake, the company said. The JV, the initial authorized capital of which will be Rs. 50 crore, will be between Rolta and one of the six divisions of Thales i.e. Land & Joint Systems division and will be incorporated on receipt of necessary approvals.

This joint venture will influence the broad spectrum of cutting-edge technologies, systems and solutions from Thales, and Rolta's leadership slot in the Indian market.

Rolta India is a major provider and developer of information technology based GeoSpatial Information Systems (GIS), engineering design automation solutions and eSecurity services across the world.

Under the JV the companies will develop Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Trget Acquisition and Reconnaissance (C4ISTAR) information systems, for domestic and international markets.

Mr. Bruno Rambaud, Directeur General (Senior Vice President), Thales Land & Joint Systems Division, stated, "Increasing Thales footprint internationally depends on the success of strategic business alliances like the one we have formed with Rolta. The creation of this joint venture will be a significant milestone in our development within the Indian Defence and Homeland security markets. This win-win partnership will also leverage the resources and expertise of both companies to serve the global operations of Thales."

Bruno Rambaud further said that his company was also looking forward to launch two more joint ventures in India over the next two years in the areas of aerospace and securities.

The joint venture with Rolta will be headquartered out of Mumbai and, according to Mr. Singh, the venture will have 40-50 people to begin with in technology transfer but this will go up significantly.

The JV will have a seven-member board with four being from Rolta and three from Thales. "We expect to achieve a few hundred million dollars of business in the first four to five years and the profits will be shared on the basis of the joint venture," Mr. Singh asserted.