The Times of India and Mint newspapers said Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries has hired Vivek Lall, a former head of Boeing’s military and commercial divisions in India who had helped win large orders for the U.S. company. However, a Reliance Industries official declined comment, the Times of India said. Lall is expected to join as a chief executive officer and president of a new division at Reliance Industries, Mint said.
According to market sources, Lall could be leading the new RIL venture with cutting-edge homeland security solutions. There is also speculation that the group could go further down and enter aerospace arena at an appropriate time, one source said.
The media reported Reliance sources saying that Lall’s appointment to pursue opportunities in the homeland security space is synergistic with the group’s plans for broadband wireless access services. The group is expected to roll out the next generation technology services soon. RIL is looking to develop safe and secure smart cities as well as systems for disaster management preparedness.
When Lall headed the Boeing commercial arm it won over $25 billion worth of commercial aircraft business in three years, and during the past four years when he headed defence, space and security the company scooped up almost $10 billion worth of business in India.
RIL’s foray into the security sector could have significant impact on the entire industry, given the over-dependence of India on foreign suppliers for security solutions. Homeland security is a major growth sector, with national security agencies and state police forces on an unprecedented modernization drive. There is also a major demand for homeland security solutions from the private sector — RIL itself is among the biggest consumers of security solutions in the country.
RIL’s entry into homeland and aerospace security could have a far bigger impact than the entry of Indian groups such as Tata, L&T and Mahindra, according to media reports.
Lall studied mechanical engineering at Canada’s Carleton University and has a master’s in aeronautical engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. He worked with Raytheon Co and NASA Ames Research Center before he joined Boeing in 1996.
Overseas and Indian defence manufacturers are looking to take advantage of growth in Indian spending to modernise its military. India has budgeted $32.5 billion for defence spending in the year to end-March, up about 4 percent on the previous year.
Meanwhile, a burgeoning middle class in an economy growing at nearly 9 percent has spurred rapid growth in commercial aviation.
