Mumbai, July 15: Boeing has joined hands with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) to manufacture aerospace and defence equipment in India, including unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones.

The companies today signed an agreement, according to which they will also access markets jointly for products and platforms they develop together.

The collaboration, which is in line with the government's Make in India initiative, will tap the domestic as well as international markets.

The agreement was signed by Shelley Lavender, president of Boeing Military Aircraft, and Sukaran Singh, managing director and chief executive officer of TASL.

TASL is already in a contract to manufacture structures for Boeing's CH-47 Chinook and AH-6i helicopters.

"This agreement with TASL is significant because it demonstrates Boeing's commitment to expanding its aerospace manufacturing footprint in India," Lavender said.

The government is in the process of clearing Boeing's contract worth over $2.5 billion for 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers.

S. Ramadorai, chairman of TASL, said the pact gave them an opportunity to explore the massive potential in India for aerospace manufacturing and make the investments required to grow the industry.

Other Tata group companies - Tata Advanced Materials Ltd (TAML) and TAL Manufacturing Solutions (TAL) - are supplying important components to Boeing.

TAML is making power and mission equipment cabinets and auxiliary power unit door fairings for Boeing's P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft. TAL is manufacturing floor beams for Boeing's 787-9 Dreamliners.

Tata Advanced Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, provides integrated solutions for aerospace, defence and homeland security. It is the manufacturing partner for global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including Airbus Group, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and India's Defence Research & Development Organisation.