Boeing India to focus on local defence industry development at Aero India: US defence and aerospace giant Boeing will focus on investments in growing local services and capabilities, workforce development and partnerships in support India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision during Aero India 2023 exhibition that will be organized in India’s information technology capital Bengaluru next week, said the company.
A key strategic goal for Boeing in India is to strengthen and leverage local talent and its growing network of more than 300 supplier partners, Boeing said in a statement.
“The Indian aerospace and defence industry is poised for growth and offers significant opportunities for Boeing with our proven portfolio of products and services,” said Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India. “Boeing is committed to supporting and enabling this progress with a vision to bring the best of Boeing to India and take the best of India to the world.”
Boeing’s presence at the Aero India 2023 is built around the theme of The Runway to a Billion Opportunities, highlighting local partnerships and investments in India.
Boeing’s exhibit at the prestigious defence exhibition will also showcase a range of advanced products including the F/A-18 Super Hornet, P-8I, CH-47 Chinook, 737, 787 Dreamliner and 777X. Visitors will be able to experience the AH-64 Apache simulator and learn more the combat helicopter’s capabilities and a wide range of missions.
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During the show Boeing officials will meet with customers and industry partners to discuss India’s future aviation, defence, and security requirements, focusing on in-country manufacturing, leveraging engineering and research talent, and strengthening local partnerships, technologies, services, world-class sustainment, and training capabilities.
The joint venture between Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) recently delivered the first fuselage for six AH-64 Apache attack helicopters ordered by the Indian Army from its state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad.
TBAL has produced and supplied Boeing’s Apache final assembly plant in Mesa, Arizona with over 190 fuselages.
US defence and aerospace giant said it is expanding its support for local customers in India by establishing an ecosystem of comprehensive support packages and indigenous maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities with partners through the Boeing India Repair Development and Sustainment (BIRDS) program.
This all forms part of Boeing’s commitment to Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat, said the company.
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India presently operates 11 C-17s, 22 AH-64 Apaches (with six more on order), 15 CH-47 Chinooks, 12 P-8Is, three VVIP aircraft, and two Head of State aircraft. In addition, more than 150 Boeing airplanes, including the Next-Generation 737, 737 MAX, 757, 777, and 787 Dreamliner, are operated by India’s leading commercial airlines
Boeing India
According to the company officials, Boeing is focused on creating sustainable value in the Indian aerospace sector – developing local suppliers, and shaping academic and research collaborations with Indian institutions.
Boeing India has strengthened its supply chain with more than 300 local companies in India and a joint venture to manufacture fuselages for Apache helicopters and vertical fin structures for the 737 family of airplanes.
Annual sourcing from India stands at over $1 billion. Boeing currently employs over 5,000 people in India, and more than 13,000 people work with its supply chain partners.
Boeing will showcase its products and services at Hall A, USA Pavilion (A7.2 – A6. 3) at Aero India 2023.
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