New Delhi: Sixty years after it sold its first aircraft to India, US aviation company Beechcraft is still bullish on prospects in the Indian market for private aircraft. Like many others globally, the company feels that after the Lok Sabha elections, more businesses will take investment decisions, including those on buying more aircraft. Edited excerpts from an interview with Richard Emery, Beechcraft President, Asia Pacific.
How do elections affect investment decisions about buying private aircraft?
I think it is natural. There are different outcomes in the elections. Depending on what the outcomes are, they can impact businesses, individuals and State Governments. Rather than taking a risk prior to an election, it’s more prudent to wait till you understand what the outcome will be. This happens everywhere, in the US, Latin America, Europe... It’s part of a sales cycle.
Considering that elections are due in India shortly, do you see the same thing here?
Let’s take the example of Mexico, which recently went through a very important election. Though a party had been in office for two Presidential cycles, a new candidate came in from the PRI party, which is very pro-business. A year prior to the election, very few people sold very few planes in Mexico because business people and entrepreneurs were waiting to see what was going to happen. Because, if you make a substantial investment prior to the candidate coming in, and for some reason that does not turn out, you are sitting on a large asset that’s not going to be utilised appropriately.
21/02/14 Business Line
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline
How do elections affect investment decisions about buying private aircraft?
I think it is natural. There are different outcomes in the elections. Depending on what the outcomes are, they can impact businesses, individuals and State Governments. Rather than taking a risk prior to an election, it’s more prudent to wait till you understand what the outcome will be. This happens everywhere, in the US, Latin America, Europe... It’s part of a sales cycle.
Considering that elections are due in India shortly, do you see the same thing here?
Let’s take the example of Mexico, which recently went through a very important election. Though a party had been in office for two Presidential cycles, a new candidate came in from the PRI party, which is very pro-business. A year prior to the election, very few people sold very few planes in Mexico because business people and entrepreneurs were waiting to see what was going to happen. Because, if you make a substantial investment prior to the candidate coming in, and for some reason that does not turn out, you are sitting on a large asset that’s not going to be utilised appropriately.
21/02/14 Business Line
