Bangalore: US aeronautics giant Lockheed Martin has offered its launch vehicle to Indian space agency, ISRO, to launch Indian satellites, its senior executive said.

"We have agreed to give our launch vehicles", J B Malhotra, Lockheed Martin national executive for India and Srilanka, told reporters on February 6.

ISRO and Lockheed were "currently seriously discussing it", he said. Six or seven satellites would be launched in the next 15 to 18 months by ISRO.

He said Lockheed, whose launch sites are used by the US' NASA, could be more cost effective than France's Ariane, now used by ISRO to launch its big satellites.

Lockheed, Malhotra said, was working on a long-term relationship with ISRO, including working on smaller satellites and jointly marketing them also.

Robert E Hammond, vice-president, South Asia region, Lockheed Martin Global, said ISRO has "good capability" of making small satellites "as anybody in the world".

He said the satellite market was however "depressed" now but there was a long-term potential for a robust satellite market.

Lockheed senior executives are here for the ongoing Aero India 2003, Asia's biggest air show, where they are taking part as the largest exhibitor from the US.

PTI