NEW DELHI — As part of its offset obligation, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. has linked up with Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) to make electrical wirning harnesses for aircraft in India. The Swiss company entered into a $650 million contract with India in 2012 to supply 75 PC-7 Mk. 2 turboprop basic trainer aircraft to the Indian air force (IAF). The contract includes an integrated ground-based training system, a comprehensive logistics support package and a 30% offset obligation.

NEW DELHI — Japan is aggressively promoting its amphibious US-2 to India as the Indian navy prepares to issue a request for proposals for an unspecified number of search-and-rescue (SAR) aircraft. India and Japan already have established a working group to study the possible export of the US-2, used by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

NEW DELHI — Indian space officials say the country’s first Mars orbiter is still on track for launch on Oct. 28 and will not be affected by the U.S. government shutdown, which has forced mission partner NASA to halt most of its operations. “We are going ahead with the Mars Orbiter Mission as planned. There is no delay,” D.P. Karnik of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) tells Aviation Week. “The launch window will remain open till Nov. 19.”