Safran to closely watch value of any Avio deal

PARIS Feb 23 (Reuters) - France's Safran will pay particularly close attention to the value of any deal to buy Italy's Avio, Chief Executive Jean-Paul Herteman said on Thursday.

He also ruled out buying Volvo Aero <VLV, saying the French engine maker did not detect any worthwhile synergies there.

German engine maker MTU Aero was earlier reported to have pulled out of a race to bid for Volvo Aero, worth an estimated 800 million euros ($1.06 billion).

Herteman also indicated at a results news conference that Safran would gain revenues of 2.5 billion euros spread over several years if India confirmed its preference for the Dassault Aviation Rafale obver the Eurofighter Typhoon.

India is seeking to buy 126 fighters and selected the Rafale as preferred bidder last month. Herteman said Safran stood to gain revenues of around 20 million euros per plane.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher)